Birdman (2014)

There never has been a film made quite like this one. From the very outset -the offbeat soundtrack consisting of mostly drums accompanied by quick flashes of a beach and some sort of meteor flying through the sky- this is absurdly different. You really would be forgiven for asking yourself 'What the hell is going on?' However, once you sit back, and become accustomed to the otherworldliness of it, this truly becomes a masterpiece of the highest order. The film does not really ever make an attempt to make sense, and it is in this that the film finds its greatest strength: it has the guts to be as different as possible and will unashamedly leave you behind if you fall behind. The plot unfolds around an ageing, fading former superstar whose most famous roles consisted of a franchise based around a super hero called Birdman and his struggle to have one last attempt at a revival with a stage production on Broadway. The last Birdman film is revealed to have been released in 1992; I wonder if this is coincidentally the same year as the last Keaton Batman film was made: Batman Returns? Subtle references to the careers of the actors are made throughout and are absolute gems, such as Norton’s notoriously difficult persona to work with off camera is seen in all its glory here. The performances are key, and every single actor delivers with absolute aplomb. Obviously Keaton is on his usual excellent form, but so too is Norton, Stone, Galifianakis and Watts. They add depth to every single one of their characters with only a sparring amount of screen time considering most of it is dominated by Keaton’s Riggan Thomson. This may finally be the year that Norton gets an Oscar considering how excellent he has been up until now in films such as Primal Fear, Fight Club and of course his best performance, American History X. Another astonishing feat of this film is the cinematography and editing. It is shot and edited in such a way that the film looks like one continuous shot, much like the film Rope. Remember that shot in Goodfellas in the entrance to the club scene which lasts about 3 minutes and is one of the best shots in cinema? Yeah, that is this whole film. I will take that over being filmed over 12 years any day. How this film did not get an Oscar nomination for editing is beyond anyone’s comprehension, because it really is seamless throughout. But at least the Academy got something right with a whole host of other nominations, including for cinematography. This truly is an experiment which paid off tenfold. The film as such feels like a play itself, and ingeniously asks us as the audience what is real and what is not. Having not any of Inarritu’s other work, it is impossible to compare its quality, however this film certainly encourages anyone to watch more of this director’s work because it is masterfully directed. Not only that though, this film and director should get the most praise for reinvigorating Michael Keaton’s career. He is a great actor and it is fantastic to see him in a role which shows off his immense talent again. This will definitely divide people, probably most likely down the line of film fans will love it, and casual film watchers will call it ‘pretentious tripe’. Don’t believe me? Look at some of the IMDb user reviews, that is a direct quote. Fortunately, it is receiving far more positive recognition and this will undoubtedly live on to become a classic, and perhaps even genre defining. Verdict: Ingeniously acted, directed, written, edited and shot. This is an exercise in film making proving it can reach art form, with the cast and crew on the top of their games. An instant classic and a big welcome back to Michael Keaton, long may you stay here.