What’s it about?
Riggan Thomas (Michael Keaton) spent his younger years appearing as Birdman in a series of superhero films. Firmly entrenched in “washed-up has-been” territory, he decides to put on a Broadway show to try to prove himself to the world. But his play has serious problems, his cast (including Edward Norton and Naomi Watts) is dysfunctional, and his own mental state is probably not all that crash-hot either.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: If Birdman is Michael trying to prove himself following his Batman days, then boy, has he succeeded. This is a brilliantly intriguing, very black comedy and, if you listen really hard, we’re pretty sure you can hear “Oscar” being whispered in the background.
Dang! I’d been looking forward to this film for a while but I simply couldn’t get into it. Filled with in-jokes for those immersed in the politics of the theatre this film may well appeal to those with a performance history or those struggling with hallucinations or narcissism. For the rest of us it’s a kind of disappointing wander through a world of the self obsessed.
I like that films like this exist and I feel like I simply wasn’t bringing the right set of experiences to the table to enjoy it.
2 stars.