Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
The hype was real—seven Golden Globe nominations (including
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy), four Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination
(including Best Ensemble), etc.—and the hype was met. From the matter in which the movie was filmed
to the incredible drum score, Birdman
was definitely deserving of the accolades and plaudits it has received and I
would highly recommend seeing the movie unless artistic, critically-acclaimed
movies are not your cup of tea.
A lot can be said or has already been said about the
parallel between Michael Keaton’s actual career and the career of the character
he portrays in Birdman, but
attempting to make such a comparison goes far and beyond the realm of a shite
movie reviewer like me. What I will say
is that I enjoyed the performances of Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone and
Zach Galifianakis and I was intrigued by the ambiguity of whether or not
Keaton’s character actually possessed “powers” or if these moments were merely
a manifestation of his deteriorating mental state.
Personally, I would like to believe in the former, but it is
most likely the latter—either way works.
As for whether the film was worth the price of admission—$8 for a
matinee screening—the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, I would have
willingly paid full adult admission for an evening screening of Birdman.
