Birdman Review

There are some films for actors that help reinvigorate their career. For Michael Keaton, Birdman is that film, but it is just more than that. It shows what we have all been missing from Keaton. Keaton stars as Riggan Thomson, a washed up actor who decades ago was famous for playing a super hero. Now he is trying to reclaim whatever acclaim he had with a play he is acting and directing in.
 

During rehearsals, one of his main actors is doing horrible and Riggan just wants him gone. With a stroke of luck, a light falls on his head, knocking him out. Riggan needs a new actor and he finds one in  Mike Shiner (Edward Norton). During the first preview night, Mike has a scene in which he has to drink, and he drinks real liquor on stage. Making him stinking drunk and ruining the rest of the show for that preview night. Riggan has to deal with this new actor who is trying to outshine him, and try to create a new persona of himself that is not Birdman anymore.
 

Riggan's daughter played by the wonderful Emma Stone, is estranged from Riggan and during this play, is his assistant. His best friend and lawyer, Jake (Zach Galifinakis) helps keep him sane and his production afloat. Birdman is not only the character that he use to play. The Birdman persona is there always at the back of his mind. On screen, he literally is there. Birdman has become Riggan's conscious and tells him when he needs to stop acting a fool and when he isn't trying hard enough.


Birdman is one of those perfect films where the cast is perfect, and wonderfully made. The film is shot to look like is was done in one continuous take. The great thing about this film is the commentary it has about super hero movies. Both Keaton and Norton have both played superheroes, but Riggan has a small monologue where he makes fun of every actor that has played them.
 

Birdman is a film about mattering in an age where you might not matter anymore. It shows that sometimes to matter in today's world you have to do something crazy, stupid, and stupendous. Birdman is brash, bodacious, and brilliant. I give Birdman 5 levitating Michael Keatons out of 5.