Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Cast: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Andrea Riseborough
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 119 minutes
Special Features: Birdman: All-Access, A Conversation with Michael Keaton and Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Gallery: Chivo’s On-Set Photos
BiRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance was a revelation when released in cinemas at the start of the year and even managed to pick up the Oscar for Best Picture but after the hype has settled, does it still hit the spot? The resoundingly easy answer is yes. It’s a wonderful, insightful, revealing and unforgettable piece of filmmaking that rips apart both its lead character and the movie world around it by poking a sharp satirical stick directly into heart and holds it there with an entertaining, captivating grin.
Centering on the life of actor Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), he’s out to prove that he is more than a Hollywood actor by writing, directing and producing his own play on Broadway. Riggan has adapted Raymond Carver’s ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ for the stage but the pressure, intention and process is also pushing him towards a breakdown. Alongside this, he’s seemingly dealing with a growing schizophrenia that’s mixed with depression as he risks everything to get the show on. He’s also got estranged daughter Sam (Emma Stone) to deal with as she apparently hates working in the theatre, alongside the drama of angry and possibly alcoholic stage actor Mike Shiner (Ed Norton) bringing a reality to his play but also messing with his calmness and life in general.
What could feel clichéd in many movies is done in a spectacularly innovative way in BIRDMAN because although the premise is straightforward, director Inarritu has created something remarkable by getting up close and personal in the characters faces and – even more extraordinarily – doing the entire film in one shot. Now, there’s obviously been some after-filming trickery to make this happen but the sheer nature of what’s achieved together with astonishingly visceral performances from all involved makes for something very special.
BIRDMAN also contains unsubtle undertones regarding film criticism (and in particular critics), the fortunes of genuine acting talent, self-obsession and a very accurate back-stage look at the world of theatre as it almost veers between documentary and fiction but at the end of the day, it’s very much a movie. It doesn’t break the fourth wall, even though it deconstructs a play within a film and so much like Keaton’s stunning performance as he wrestles between his own reality and the one of ‘Birdman’, we involve and embed with proceedings to become a part of what’s happening. Superbly acted by the entire cast, beautifully directed by Inarritu, the cinematography is gritty, exciting and captivating; BIRDMAN really takes flight into a unique world of its own individuality.
[usr=5] BIRDMAN is available now on Blu-ray and DVD from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. We’ve also got this amazing behind-the-scenes clip for you, it’s wonderful stuff:
