I just saw Birdman. Let me tell you what I thought going into this movie. I had seen the trailers, and knew this was going to be a weird movie. So I was dreading that a little bit. I was solely holding onto the promise I'd read about that the movie delivers if you can just forget the oddities onscreen. One promise I was salivating over, was its one-shot technique. Yes, this movie is filmed in one take (or what appears to be one take). And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Birdman. The visuals are stunning. This camera shot is absolutely beautiful to watch. The acting is phenomenal. I can't imagine Birdman without any of the characters. So "let's stop with the labels", as Michael Keaton's character says to the critic in one scene, and get to the details of why I loved this movie.
Birdman tells the story of Riggan Thomson (Keaton), the washed-up and aging actor who used to play Birdman in a multi-billion dollar franchise. He's suffering from some serious schizophrenia and depression, and believes he has superpowers like levitation and telekinesis. To bring himself back to the forefront, he is directing, writing, and starring in a Broadway play. The play is produced by his best friend/lawyer (Galifianakis) and stars a first-time actress Lesley (Watts), and a seasoned professional method actor Mike (Norton). Emma Stone plays his daughter Sam, who is a recovering addict he has a very difficult relationship with, as he was absent for her entire childhood. Keaton gives a powerhouse performance as the titular character. The role is so bizarre and demanding, and is fueled by his real-life parallels of his own career after Batman. I think a bunch of actors could play this role, but the fact that it's Keaton really brings it up a notch. Edward Norton was my favorite part, and he is such a lovably hateable character. He was a complete jerk and a pretentious snob, but I was enthralled watching him act in this role. He brings a certain gravitas to all of his scenes. Emma Stone was very subtle in most of her scenes, but she has definitely returned to prestige after a little dabbling in the Spider-Man blockbusters. Naomi Watts is the other standout for me. I just saw her in St. Vincent, where she was also amazing, but such a different role! I know I said the same exact thing about her in my review of that movie, so this only supports my claim that she is an incredibly versatile actress.
In a fantasy sequence, Riggan imagines his Birdman movies coming to life.
The one-shot technique was beautiful. The whole movie is filmed to at least look like it was done in one camera take. I wouldn't be surprised, with the talent involved, if it was really one take. In this form, you could see one character's reaction to a conversation. There is one scene where Emma Stone's character gets so angry at her father, she is screaming at him. Instead of cutting to his reaction after, or even what he says to her after, it stays on her face. Showing her face turn from intense anger to regret. There were so many scenes where the character speaking was speaking offscreen. Also, in the outdoor scenes, you could just feel the environment as if you were right there with the characters. You heard the crowd, and instead of using multiple cuts, it felt like you were right there.
The script is amazing. It's probably one of the best scripts I've ever seen in a movie. Just the way everything unfolds is really fun to watch and laugh at. Speaking of laughing, this is a black comedy, so you're laughing at stuff you really shouldn't be. The whole storyline and interactions between characters was so incredible. That's what I feel Edward Norton did the best. He really sold his interactions with Keaton and Stone. Especially his scenes with Michael Keaton. Seeing them fight was hilarious and serious at the same time. You felt the tension, but couldn't help laughing at it. I'd also like to point out that the three core performances (Keaton, Norton, and Stone in my opinion) have all been in superhero movies. Keaton was Batman in two blockbusters in the 80's. Norton had a failed attempt at being the Hulk, and Stone was Gwen Stacy in the new Spider-Man movies. In a movie that's basically criticizing the entertainment industry in a Hollywood vs. Broadway style fight, I don't think it's irony that they've been cast. I also really enjoyed all the jokes about superhero movies and blockbuster entertainment vs. the stage, and it was the fuel between Keaton and Norton's characters duels. It's definitely an interesting fight with good arguments on both sides. This is a year with so many films showing criticism of the entertainment industry and fame. You have Whiplash, which depicts what it takes to be famous, and you have Gone Girl and Birdman, which show the effects of fame and the self-obsession (and self-loathing in Riggan's case) that comes with it. I think Birdman definitely is an honest depiciton of the industry, and could go down in history as one of the best movies about movies ever made.
I think that this is definitely a perfect movie. It's awards-bait that wasn't intended to be awards-bait. You can sometimes tell that certain actors take on movies expecting an Oscar, and certain scripts are written attached to certain directors to create the perfect storm. But I feel that Birdman did not intend this. It's simply art. Michael Keaton is a shoo-in for a nomination, and he could win. Norton's a definite as well. There's no way they're not getting nominated. Emma Stone could get in, and I'd like to see her get recognition she deserves. And it basically has cinematography and visual effects in the bag with it's camera take. I think it'll definitely play well over the next few months until the Oscars, where it will likely be nominated in a handful of the categories. It's just simply an original movie that succeeds with everything. I found myself loving it more and more throughout the running time, and would recommend it to anyone who loves awards and prestige movies. It's a little weird, but if you can get over that I think you'll enjoy it.
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GREAT review of an unusual movie. That moment when the camera lingers on Stone's face after her rant is so moving--thank you for reminding me of it. And you're right, we do get to see a lot more of a working theater backstage than I can recall seeing elsewhere.
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