Birdman
10/10
There
will be some spoilers so if you hate that kinda thing why are you
reading a movie review? Don't be weird. I was trying to figure out if
I should give this a 9 or a 10. If I say a movie is a 10 that means
that I left the theater feeling happy that films exist. After seeing
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) this morning I could
not think of one reason why not to give it a 10 and realize that this
was one of the strangest and original films I've seen. I wasn't sure
of what to expect from this exactly. An action film about a washed up
superhero trying to recapture his glory? Yeah. That's what I thought
it would be about.
It
wasn't.
Michael
Keaton plays Riggan Thomson who is an actor that is best known for
playing Birdman in some very popular movies. A voice in his head, of
Birdman, constantly reminds him that he used to be great, can still
be great, and should be great. There are instances of him using
telekinesis, smashing things and moving objects around the room.
He
is starting a new play based on a short story called What We Talk
About When We Talk About Love. His friend Jake played by Zach
Galifianakis is funding and producing the play and wants Riggan to
keep his shit in order for opening night. Andrea
Riseborough plays Laura who is Riggan's girlfriend who is possibly
pregnant. I recently saw her in Welcome To The Punch and didn't know
this was the same woman. Naomi Watts plays Lesley who has been dying
to have a Broadway play. She also brings in a volatile element in
Mike Shiner.
Shiner
is played by Edward Norton. He is great. Not just in this movie but
in the play. He knows his lines, your lines, and does not care
whether or not anyone likes him. He's a dick. During previews he
loses his shit when Riggan switches his gin with water during a
performance since he is getting progressively drunk. He also orders a
tanning bed because he thinks his character is a redneck. He is
dating Lesley and at one point decides to have actual sex on stage,
attempting to rape her in front of an audience. Despite his attitude
his presence increases ticket sales.
Emma Stone plays Sam who is Riggan's daughter. She is fresh out of rehab
and seems to hate her dad. There is one scene where she goes off on
him that made the audience in the theater gasp. There is a scene that
puts her in her place during a rooftop conversation between her and
Shiner where he asks her what made her dad so bad. He laughs at her
reasons which doesn't exactly validate her feelings.
As the
play continues to get set to start, dealing with the actors and
actresses, the critics, the audience, and Birdman seeming to get
stronger and stronger in his head, you watch Riggan spiral right the
fuck out of control in the coolest damned ways. Even after the movie
was done I still wasn't 100% sure that what I saw was what I think I
saw. And I loved it.
If you
have this playing near you check it out. The way it was filmed is one
long scene. What I mean is that it looks like it is one continuous
shot which made it so cool. The way it was shot made it feel like I
was in the room with these crazy ass people and just had to deal with
them. It was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu who also did
Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, and Biutiful. It is only
playing at The Arclight near me when it should be in far more
theaters.
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