Birdman

On friday, a good friend and I went to go see "Birdman". I have been eying this moving since the first festival reviews came out. From the director of such films as "Babel", this film is probably one of my favorite films thus far in the Oscar Hunt (I don't think it will win but I will get to that later).

The movie is shot in such a way that it looks like a single-camera with one continuous take throughout. The camera is following Riggan (Michael Keaton) as he acts, directs and produces the Raymond Carver play "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The audience is slowly introduced to Riggan's backstory; he's a washed up movie actor famous for the role of "Birdman". This show is his way of attempting to win back his acting soul. However, from the opening scene; its obvious that this is a psychedelic trip into the unraveling of Riggan's mind. 

Again, this movie seems like an acid trip at times. The movie opens with two things; Riggan in his undies and a clock ticking. As the scene plays on, Riggan uses what appears to be telekinesis to move items around his theatre dressing room. He is haunted by a poster of his last "Birdman" movie. It speaks to him when he least expects it and provides a running commentary to the thoughts in Riggan's unraveling mind. 

As the movie moves forward, Riggan's troubled mind starts to intermingle with the lives of his actors and family. When Riggan appears to use his telekinesis to remove one of his main actors from the show, the star gets replaced by Mike Shriner (Edward Norton) another thespian with a history of trouble. Suddenly, it seems like the movie could be about redemption.. 

Alas, this is not a story of redemption; its one of discovery. Riggan learns no matter how far he tries to wander, he is the Birdman. And in the end, well that would ruin things now wouldn't it?

The only hint I will give is a Hollywood/Broadway rumor that happened to "Little Shop of Horrors". You see at the end of the Broadway version, everyone dies. In the movie version, Seymour and Audrey live happily ever after. Test audiences for the movie rejected the latter ending because "it was too horrible for a musical". 

The ending of the "Birdman" ruins its oscar chances. For such a uniquely filmed and acted movie, it sucks its ending couldn't have been like the Broadway version of "Little Shop of Horrors".

My rating 3/5.