Birdman : Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Birdman : Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2014)

A washed-up actor, who once played an iconic superhero, battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career and himself in the days leading up to the opening of his Broadway play.

Strong from its four wins at the 2015 Academy Awards, Birdman, the latest film from the Mexican New Wave director Alejandro G. Inarritu, this cynical view of the comeback of a has been of the show business sure has its moments but does it delivers has much as the noise surrounding it?

Winning for best picture, best director (Inarritu), best original screenplay (Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo), and best cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki) in other words two of the major awards (picture and director) and two technical important ones (original screenplay and cinematography) Birdman is sure an impressive movie. Technically and visually this is the act of masters especially Lubezki with his superb camera movements following the protagonists and dancing like the interior voice of Riggan (Michael Keaton). It doesn’t take long to understand that we are in the point of view of the Birdman and we are gravitating around the production of this stage show. Lubezki who worked on two of the most beautiful film on the last five years The Tree of Life and Gravity has almost surpassed his wonderful camera work of Tree of Life with Birdman. However, the Terrence Malick vehicule is a masterpiece and Birdman is not.

With actors as talented as Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and other wonderful surprises like Zack Galifianakis, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan and obviously Michael Keaton starring in a major motion picture and giving the performance of a life time as the man behind the birdman. Sure everyone gives an outstanding performance and no one is afraid to be vulnerable or a complete looser. In fact, this is almost a tale on losers and the need to humiliate yourself to grow up and achieve something.

As mentioned before this is a visually stunning film and its concept or gimmick gives him a unique feel and touch but its story doesn’t elevate to the next level. The film relies on its technical aspects a bit too much and its characters as outstandingly portrayed by every actors, are a bit one sided and might have needed more flesh and feathers around the bones from the writing department.

Finally, to answer my previous interrogation, as a whole the film delivers a refreshing tale of popularity, stardom, egocentrism but on the storyline and content I was left a bit disappointed. The icing on the cake is more appealing to watch but after the first bite the whole thing seems to be one note and we feel it was maybe prettier if left untouched.