American angst

Rating: 6/10 (3 February 2018)

Gonzales' Iñárritu's 'Birdman' tells the story of a once famous movie star trying to rebuild his career, and his sense of self-worth, as a theatre actor. Cue some comedy and a lot of very American angst, as the hero (and his fellow-protagognists) reveal themselves to be simulatenously needy and priveleged. My problem was that I didn't really know what I was supposed to be feeling - I certainy couldn't imagine spending any time with any of these people (or at least, I couldn't imagine enjoying it). Sometimes life is comic, sometimes life is tragic, sometimes you just have to not be so melodramatic about it, a point these protagonists don't seem to have learned. The percussive score and use of unusual camera angles both add to the intentionally unsettled mood.