Run time: 119 mins       Certificate: 15
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone.
Release Date: January 1, 2015.

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Keaton Returns

Birdman hooks you in from the beginning. A meditating Michael Keaton levitates above the ground as the ominous voice of Birdman reflects on his failures. From this moment onwards you’ll be glued to the screen, caught inside Riggan’s (Keaton) struggle between launching his own Broadway show and maintaining both his family and his own sanity. All whilst his past blockbuster role of the superhero Birdman entices him back to the easy pay check and global fame it once gave him. Its an excellent character study that grabs hold and never lets go until the end, an unrelenting ride through Riggan’s personal life and inner psyche. Exceptional performances and cerebrally tuned direction lend this surreal trip a numbing sense of reality; in other words you’ve never seen anything quite like Birdman.

The whole affair is best watched in one go without interruption, and even if you’re bursting for an intermission you’ll likely endeavour to stay seated to the end. Emmanuel Lubezki presents the entire film as a singular absorbing experience where the camera weaves naturally towards the next scene without a cut as if the entire film were one long take. One particular take that see’s Keaton awkwardly stride half naked through crowded streets is a definite highlight. Tricks are naturally employed to give this effect between scenes, but even having each individual scene progress with minimal cutting emphasises the ‘day in the life of’ perspective put forth here even with the focus on time and characters shifting throughout. The result lends a tangible intimacy that comes with every shot, a backstage argument proving just as involved as a defining speech on stage before an audience.

Likewise Antonio Sanchez’s minimal soundtrack bolsters this seamless approach, slow burning drum solos between scenes building the momentum before fading out as a characters dialogue carries its rhythm onwards. Every moment devotes itself to exploring these flawed characters and you’re right there with them; a long shot of silence that stares down an empty hall for 20 seconds or so will have you holding your breath for what dramatic beat will storm into that empty space next. Its at this moment that you’ll realise Birdman doesn’t only deserve your attention, but demands it.

It may sound like an awfully serious affair, but Birdman greatest appeal lies in just how funny it can be. Keaton and Norton’s chemistry on screen leads to some hilarious confrontations, their tenuous relationship that flips from admiration to rivalry entertaining all the more because of its sincerity. Likewise the arguments between Riggan and his Birdman persona, complete with a growling superhero voice, are moments so darkly funny because of the genuine chords they strike away at.

Iñárritu’s direction leaves no stone unturned. Superhero blockbusters are disassembled to their base components, both ridiculed and praised for being what they are. An enraged Keaton onslaughts Lindsay Duncan’s reviewer for misusing her position when at the same time he unknowingly evaluates his self same issues. Its in its raw exploration of these aspects of show business that the comedy is found; without an agenda Birdman simply presents these standpoints for what they are, knowingly laughing at itself just as much as it does its targets. The ending above all encapsulates what Birdman analyses, the desire to be talked about, and once the credits begin to roll you’ll most certainly talk about it.

Keaton is at the top of his game as Riggan, dominating the screen with his gratifyingly delivered rants and proving depressively fragile when confiding in co-stars Emma Stone and Amy Ryan. A film such as this could easily come off as aloof, especially with a lead like Riggan, but its Keaton’s unfettered magnetism that keeps the sentiments behind the madhouse genuine. There is another star of this show in Edward Norton however, playing a role seemingly written for him effortlessly. His smug stage actor drives much of the backstage tension whilst remaining comically charming; a perfect opposite for Keatons weathered star. Emma Stone mirrors her father’s solitude well as the recovering addict, playing a well worn role with enough substance as to never be in danger of becoming a cliché.

Smaller roles all have their moments as well. The aforementioned Lindsay Duncan’s subdued bitterness plays off of Keaton and Norton perfectly in her few scenes. Zach Galifianakis and Amy Ryan are brilliant anchors in Riggan’s life, again leaving a lasting impression without the need for lengthy appearances. Andrea Riseborough and Naomi Watts are cast well, their respective romantic sub plots rounding out the circus that is the backstage drama in what limited time their given. With a prolific cast that play off of each other so flawlessly the one issue with Birdman is all the more glaring, as its disappointing to see that the majority of their threads are left hanging come the conclusion of Riggan’s.

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Verdict

An altogether original descent into one man’s endeavour to do something with his life, Birdman is as every bit euphoric as it is darkly telling. Keaton turns in the performance of a lifetime, both mentally and physically, while a supporting cast headed by an on form Norton ice the cake and then some. All this wrapped in a hypnotic long take style and intertwining drum solos synonymous with the beats of the characters it plays in. A rare example of the medium that is as much an experience as it is a film, its time you sat down and found out what it means to be Birdman.

Hits

+Keaton’s Birdman is sublime
+Norton heads up a fantastic supporting cast
+Iñárritu’s subtle dissection of the film industry
+Lubezki’s long take cinematography is like nothing else
+Laughs are as organic as the rest of the experience

Misses

–Character threads are left hanging

Overall Rating