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    Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    “Birdman” is one of the most unique pictures I’ve seen. It says so much without spelling any of it out. It’s unforgettable. Do I love it? I’m not sure if I can go that far. I do admire it as a whole and am fascinated by the elements that combine to make it, however. That's probably just as good.

    Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) used to be the superhero movie guy before superhero movies were what they are now. For twenty years, he’s made every effort to distance himself from the role of “Birdman” and now, he's about to unveil his production of a play based on Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. Unfortunately, things are not going well for the writer/producer and star, his mess of a daughter (Emma Stone) and the brilliant but egotistical actor he's hired to play against him (Edward Norton). The voice only Riggan can hear isn't helping. Oh, and he may or may not have superpowers.

    “Birdman” is shot in one long, continuous take (some trickery was used, but essentially, yes). The camera becomes a character as it constantly follows the various people working on “What We Talk about When We Talk About Love”. It goes into dressing rooms so we can hear the actors complain about the technical difficulties and then will turn around and chase back after Riggan who is being torn asunder by Mike Shiner's latest antics - Norton plays the brilliant performer who takes everything just a little bit too far. It makes the film feel less like a film than a play, which gives it this weird metaphysical appeal. It’s actors playing actors in a movie about a play that’s shot like the behind-the-scenes of a play. Far from being a gimmick, this approach makes everything intense. As the premiere approaches, every mistake feels increasingly catastrophic. Everyone is worried that critics will blast the show. On top of that pressure, you grow frightened that an actor - I mean the real Norton, Stone or Keaton - will flub their line and ruin the entire take. You know it won’t happen. This is a movie, not a live stream, but that feeling is still there.

    There’s so much to be said about what “Birdman” makes explicit, and what it doesn’t. There’s clearly a commentary about actors wanting to break free of their past roles and the way superheroes are the myths of the 21st century. Edward Norton played Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, Keaton was Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Emma Stone was Gwen Stacy. Advertisements for blockbuster films like “Iron Man” and “Man of Steel” are found in "blink and you miss them" moments. There are so many things going on in this picture – the use of music, for example – that there’s no way you can catch it all in one go. Alejandro G. Iñárritu has crafted a unique masterpiece that demands to be watched more than once.

    Each time I’ve seen “Birdman”, I’ve told myself that I like it, but don’t love it. Then, I start discussing its various elements and wind up convincing myself otherwise. It’s magnificent. (On Blu-ray, March 9, 2018)

    10
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    adamwatchesmovies@  21.11.2014 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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