Snap Judgment: Birdman is a strange beast. Michael Keaton is a washed-up blockbuster star of the superhero Birdman
franchise who is trying to stay relevant and gain respect by
writing/directing/starring in a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver's
"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love." Edward Norton is a
self-involved method actor who uses his method acting to engage in
whatever behavior he wants. He's essentially an addict - a brilliant but
damaged addict - and his drug of choice is the performance high of
acting. Naomi Watts is criminally underused as a Broadway starlet who
desperately craves approval - from the audience, from the director, from
men. She comes across as much sweeter than Michael Keaton and Edward
Norton, but just as broken and sad.
Adding to the weirdness of the film is that Michael Keaton is having delusions (or is he?).
He is tormented by the voice of Birdman, while having Birdman's powers
(telekinesis and flight). The film doesn't care to tell you what's real
and what's not - it's up to you to decide.
This film
is definitely not going to be for everyone, but I was surprised by how
much I enjoyed it. Keaton, Norton, and Watts all pulled off brilliant
performances (Emma Stone is here too as Keaton's recovering addict
daughter, but I found her much less impressive). And it was funnier
than I thought it would be. The continuous shot technique (there are no
cuts between scenes) keeps everything moving, and gives it the sense of
a play.
Grade: A-
Final Verdict: Weird, fascinating, stellar performances. And refreshingly not the same formulaic Hollywood movie.
If You Like This, Watch: Sunset Boulevard, Danny Collins, Black Swan,Begin Again, Whiplash, Up in the Air, Her
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