Birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance) (2014)
“Get that smile off your face, you’re freaking me out”
Breaking the mould of the critically titled “Death” films of Alejandro González Iñárritu, here are ten reasons why you simply have to see Birdman, or to give the film it’s fuller title:
Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
(1) “All of us has a Birdman in us, saying how great and brilliant we are”
Director, Alejandro González Iñárritu.
(2) Aided and abetted by his lifelong friend and regular Director of Photography collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki, Editors Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione and a huge behind the scenes crew as well as a stellar cast of genuine A-List actors and actresses, this truly is a virtuoso triumph of vision, of daring and a complete break from the “Quadrilogy of Death” for Alejandro González Iñárritu. A well worn cliché but this truly is the Director’s “Vision” writ large on the cinema screen. The meticulous nature and attention to detail shines through in every single frame and is truly incredible and a joy to behold. A play within a play within a film, everything rolling in seemingly one long continuous shot with no discernible edits, building and expanding on an eclectic mix of characters ostensibly within the confines of a Theatre but with the “outside” world always there, and you can take the outside world in any analogous way you wish. Multi levelled, multi dimensional and a thoroughly unique take on the existential crisis of a Hollywood Superstar who also happens to have supernatural powers?
Only in the hands of Alejandro González Iñárritu!
Part of a four man writing team, Iñárritu deservedly landed an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay as well as two further gongs for the most prestigious Oscars in 2015, for Best Film of the Year and Best Achievement in Directing. In Oscar parlance, 2015 was deservedly the year of Birdman.
(3) No discernible cuts or edits in the entire film? Well this is not strictly true (or possible) but the meticulous nature of Alejandro González Iñárritu partnered with long time collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki brilliantly enable the film to flow virtually continuously with clever merges and dissolves that are only truly noticeable on further viewings. With the film seemingly always on the move, simple but meticulous (that word again!) use of actors and the Theatre itself keeps an already constantly moving camera in motion. Following his 2014 Oscar win for Best Achievement in Cinematography for Gravity, Lubezki won again here in 2015 for Birdman.
(4) “Riggan Thomson” (Michael Keaton). Twenty plus years since starring as Super Hero “Birdman” in a series of Hollywood blockbusters, Riggan Thomson is seemingly in the midst of an existential crisis and of wanting to be important and relevant in a world that has maybe now passed him by. Rather than embracing the clamour to reprise his previously successful blockbuster role or any of a number of spin off ideas or reality television shows, Riggan is determined to stage a Broadway Theatre show based on a short story from childhood hero Raymond Carver. This is set against funding issues and a host of strained relationships be it with an estranged wife, present girlfriend, the cast, Hollywood critics or particularly, his terse relationship with his only daughter. Riggan is in the eye of the storm, tormented by his past as well as his present and although he maybe “the answer to a fucking Trivial Pursuit question” he determinedly seeks to prove everyone wrong.
Michael Keaton was Oscar nominated for his incredible portrayal but in a year that Birdman won four Oscars he unluckily lost out in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. His sublime, fractured yet uplifting performance deserved more recognition and with the passing of time maybe it will. The Batman/Birdman comparisons are obvious, but in the Director’s own words Keaton was “The Guy” he always wanted to play this role and you can see why. In nearly every frame of the film, his fractured and splitting personality is starkly and brilliantly portrayed by Keaton in a film that has truly (and finally for this particularly myopic fan) propelled Michael Keaton back into the very best roles for which he truly deserves.
(5) “Sam Thomson” (Emma Stone) Oscar Nominated for her supporting role as troubled daughter Sam, Emma Stone is captivating as the put upon daughter growing up in the glare of her Father’s career. Truth teller and true heart of the film.
(6) “Mike Shiner” (Edward Norton) Narcissistic, self absorbed and objectionable, Mike is perfectly happy for people not to like him. “The truth is always more interesting” and Edward Norton plays Mike perfectly on his way to gaining an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
(7) “Jake” (Zach Galifianakis) Riggan’s friend, confidant, lawyer and agent. Or to put it another way, the pebble in Riggan’s shoe! And brilliantly brought to life in a most darkly and comedic way by the effervescent Galifianakis. The film’s crazy and twisted soul.
(8) Alejandro González Iñárritu wanted a continual drum beat to accompany his film and in long time friend Antonio Sanchez he received this in spades. Sanchez even occasionally pops up on screen as the camera passes by him simply sitting behind his drum kit playing along to the film! This quirky idea has drawn criticism from some quarters and but the drum beat is in parts uplifting, often unsettling but a perfect accompaniment to our Hero’s emotional torment and angst.
(9) The film constantly, often comedically, sometimes wryly and nearly always surreally breaks the fourth wall between the film and us as the audience. From subtle nods to camera to referencing reality TV show opportunities to luring Robert Downey Jr to the production of a fictitious play from a real Hollywood film such as Iron Man. Ryan Gosling is another actor referenced (among many others), as is an anecdote about dying in a plane with George Clooney on board through to repeatedly passing Antonio Sanchez playing the drums in the film’s musical soundtrack, the film cleverly and ironically breaks the fourth wall to us as cinema goers.
(10) He’s Birdman! He’s a Super Hero! He’s a faded Hollywood star going for broke on a path of acting passion. He’s an estranged husband and a bemused boyfriend, a Hero to millions yet full of existential angst.
But he’s Birdman!
And if you’ve truly gone along for the surreal ride when Birdman takes flight, you’ll cheer our Hero to the rafters!
“Birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance)” can also be found within my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” on Amazon with each and every volume free to read should you have a Kindle “Unlimited” package. All 9 of my self-published books can also be read for free on Kindle (but go on, treat yourself to a paperback or hardback version!) and should you watch my short Youtube video linked in the middle of this article you’ll also find links to my Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee and other ways of supporting my work as an independent writer.
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Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.