Running Time: 119 minutes
Rated: R16 - language, violence, sexual references - nothing too rough or disturbing in any way
Michael Keaton - an actor a long time out of the A list but once a major star thanks to the success of a superhero character (Batman) that he became known to most people for.
I don't know then if having him play a washed up actor known for playing the superhero Birdman qualifies as stunt casting but it certainly counts as excellent casting.
There is a reason that Keaton is getting most of the awards buzz this season - he is just that good in this film.
Keaton is Riggan - down on his luck writer/director/actor trying to get a Raymond Carver adaptation up and running on Broadway but plagued by troubles brought by a shaky relationship with one of the actors (Riseborough), a fresh out of rehab daughter (Stone) and a star actor who takes the Method way too seriously (Norton).
The central role provides a veritable checklist of actor moments for Keaton to flex his muscles and boy, does he.
He cries, he rages, he ponders his existence and in one marvelously bizarre sequence navigates the streets of the city at night in only his underwear thanks to a freak stage door mishap.
There is a one shot gimmick to this film.
It has the appearance via very slick editing and carefully calculated camera moves of being shot in one take.
It is very, very clever and comes with a very nice side effect - it enriches Keaton's performance.
It would be a fine performance otherwise but the urgency that the shooting style adds to the look and feel of the entire project really puts that extra bit of oomph into Keaton's work.
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| The guys - (l-r) Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Zach Galifianakis |
He fobs off Riggan's amazement that he has remembered the entire play in a matter of minutes and grows angry when he notices things like a coloured plastic plug in a prop gun because it doesn't look 100% real.
Norton gets 90% of the laughs in this film and he is truly excellent.
Any of the cast who are most well known for comedy are given fewer comedic moments none more so than Emma Stone and Zach Galifianakis- almost unrecognisable aside from a trademark name mispronunciation moment (Scor-seez!)
Not to say that this is a comedy.
In fact a lot of its appeal beyond the technical audaciousness and the performances is that it is practically impossible to put a label on.
It both is and isn't a drama, a mystery, a thriller and a comedy.
One thing is certain though- this is as original a film as I have seen in quite some time.
Something about it reminded me of Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" but really it is even more in line with the likes of "The Player" and "The Artist".
Not just because it looks at a production and the creative process but because it slickly mixes in reality and fantasy to provide an impressionistic view on things.
The film wisely refuses to confirm or deny the existence of the Birdman alter-ego and always provides a plausible explanation for Riggan's frequent acts of super-humanism.
It therefore becomes something of an all things for all men movie.
Riggan is either mad or truly special or some combination of both and it is almost entirely up to the viewer to decide for themselves.
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| The girls - (l-r) Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough |
True to form for this movie though it isn't the normal idea of sexy - Stone has either brilliant makeup or very little giving her a more 'realistic' look.
There is no glamour to her character but the appeal is still there.
I can't recall a movie that puts itself out there for you to take what you will from it to the degree that this one does.
It is a strong, strong contender for best actor and best director Oscars and a must see for anyone who has moaned that movies are all the same these days.
We have already had the likes of "Snowpiercer" and "Under the Skin" startle us with their originality and vision but arguably this one outdoes them both.
Movies are often praised for technical merit and in recent times we have had films like "Gravity" recognised for it.
In the case of "Birdman" it truly extends to every aspect - from the brilliant central performance and the masterful support to the cinematography, editing and minimalist percussion score Birdman is a true gem.
- RATING: 85/100
- CONCLUSION: For those looking for something different
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