Riggan Thomas, a once world famous action star known for his iconic superhero role "Birdman, has recently come to a crossroads in his life. Washed up and forgotten, Riggan attempts to reinvent himself by going to theater, writing, directing, and starring in a retelling of the classic Broadway play "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". Leading up to opening night, Riggan finds disaster after disaster threatening to derail his comeback. The biggest concern being the replacement of his lead actor, who was injured on set. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a spellbinding achievement that is like nothing you've probably ever seen before. This is a surrealist portrait of a man who desperatley wants to feel important or relevant, not wanting to be just another cog in the machine of society. What's interesting about Birdman is nearly every character suffers from the same problem as Riggan, all wanting to be acknowledged by society and feel important. This is perhaps the most important aspect of Inarritu's film, as he captures the cult of celebrity and fame that envelopes our culture, capturing how selfish and destrutive this can be. Technically speaking, Birdman is a revelation, with what feels like one tracking shot throughout the entire film, going from character-to-character in a way that feels like a maze of hysteria and self-importance. What I also liked abot Birdman is Inarritu's disinterest in commenting on art vs. commerce, escapism vs. intellectalism, instead arguing that there is no real difference between the two when it comes to one's desire to feel important. Funny, heartfelt, and poignant, Inarritu's Birdman is a one-of-a-kind experience about our desire to feel important that features remarkable performances from top to bottom.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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