MPCBIRDMAN REVIEW
BIRDMAN REVIEW
by ARMAN KHOSHNEVISS
Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) opens with a black screen that suddenly becomes swallowed by a flurry of apocalyptic sounds and images. The film’s darkly comedic tone seems almost disconcerting after a beginning like this, but this abstract introduction paves the way for a film with various layers and an unprecedented depth. Iñárritu, whose film credits include Babel and 21 Grams, proves himself as an ambitious filmmaker by creating a piece so starkly different from his past work. In Birdman, we see a director who has gotten in touch with his mischievous side and brought to life a risky and rewarding piece of cinematography.
The story follows Riggan Thomas (played by the wonderful Michael Keaton), a washed-up movie star who attempts to write, direct, and star in an adaptation of Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk About When We Talk about Love” on Broadway. He is haunted by the voice of Birdman, his most popular role and the personification of his perturbations. The film is deeply surrealist and often blurs the line between reality and fiction, as evidenced by Thomas’ apparent telekinetic abilities. The other three actors in the play (played by Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, and Andrea Riseborough) join Thomas as they practice, argue, love, and physically fight to get the production up-and-running. Watching Thomas from a distance are his daughter (Emma Stone), his best friend/producer/manager (Zach Galifianakis) and his ex-wife (Amy Ryan). Thomas finds himself in a downward spiral that leads to the show’s opening night, where a prominent New York Times critic (Lindsay Duncan) will make or break his career.
Keaton’s perfectly cast meta-role is only highlighted by a powerful supporting cast. Edward Norton, in his best role since Fight Club, dominates the screen with almost as much authority as Keaton, playing a master class actor who is a bit of a diva. Despite the massive star power these two bring to the screen, the well-written and balanced script gives several of the supporting cast members a chance to steal the limelight. In particular, standout Emma Stone delivers what could be called a generation-defining monologue.
Ultimately, the work done by Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki, (Children of Men, The Tree of Life, and Gravity) is what makes the film. There is never an unaesthetically pleasing cinematographic moment on the screen. Absolutely fitting the controlled chaos of the plot’s movement, Lubezki was undoubtedly vital in making the film what it is. Equally wonderful is the film’s score composed by Antonio Sanchez. Setting the film against the backdrop of an offbeat jazzy drum solo, the music only adds to the illusion that the film was shot in one take. Sanchez himself proves an aspect of the film’s surrealist tendencies to play with reality, popping up randomly throughout the film to perform the score.
Excitement and laughs aside, this meta-film has heart; Iñárritu has created a thought-provokingly beautiful meta-film that allows the viewer to be actively engaged rather than submissively watching. In taking this possible carrer-risking move, Iñárritu seems t0 mirror Keaton’s character; the only difference is he has no qualms pulling it off. Birdman is without a doubt the biggest surprise of the year, and one of the most original and engaging pieces of cinema released at the moment; in short, a must-see.
SCORE: 9.5/10
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