Part avant garde. Part black comedy. Part satire. Part super hero fantasy. All excellent.

Rating: 10/10 (16 November 2014)

"Birdman: or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance" follows both the actions and the mind of washed-up movie star Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), who is famous for his past role as Birdman. He is introduced in perhaps the most avant garde way imaginable. He floats above the floor in deep meditation as a gruff voice talks, reminding of the mess he is in and that the room he has now called home "smells of balls." The voice, like a poisonous Jiminy Cricket, is no other than an extension of Riggan—the Birdman. The line of fantasy and reality is blurred for him. The reality is that he is almost out of cash and his last hope of renewed fame relies on the success of a Broadway play that he's directing, writing, and starring in. His illusions and dreams will always be the fame of the Birdman—which is what he hopes to break away from.
The film shows both him and the audience that reinventing oneself for a comeback is never easy. Right from the start, Riggan loses an actor to a freak accident, which he replaces with an egotistical and unorthodox Method actor (Edward Norton). In every twisted way possible, he causes carnage for both the cast and Riggan. Likewise, his former drug-addicted daughter (Emma Stone) battles him every which way she can. He even has to fight a snobby, stick in the mud play critic (Lindsay Duncan). The only characters that help Riggan are his two female co- stars (Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough), his loyal publicist (Zack Galifanakis), and his supportive ex-wife (Amy Ryan), who sort of becomes the voice of reason.
"Birdman" can easily be interrupted as the iconic role of Michael Keaton. After all, he is most popular for his roles as Batman in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Since then, he has more or less vanished from the spotlight. Whether Keaton achieved catharsis or personal reflections in himself as Riggin, none of us can know. However, it is fair to say that this role was meant solely for him. He gives us an honest portrayal of a man who is at wits end to accomplish one last act of remembrance. He brings his flare of humor that has been seen from "Nightshift" and adds a new element of drama that audiences have never seen in him before. The supporting cast shares their moments of greatness, particularly Norton and Stone. Both of their chemistry on screen lights up sparks. But, it is Keaton who keeps the show moving ahead.
Alejandro Inarritu's visual style for this film matches the one Alfred Hitchcock pioneered in the film "Rope," using only 7-8 long takes as the camera moves around from one location of the set to another. This gives the audience an incite of the various actions that happen behind-the- scenes of a stage play and it helps propel the story forward in an interesting way. This method of camera work, meticulously and flawlessly crafted by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, creates a feeling of real-life performances, where anything can happen spontaneously. The editing between scenes are carefully done with CG and time lapse effects to help master the seamless camera motions between cuts instead of simply shifting from one moment to the next. The set and production design imitate a grungy, old theater that looks real, almost disproving the notion for the viewer that the film was shot on a sound stage. The technical prowess of this film makes you feel like you really are part of the show.
"Birdman: or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance" is an outstanding film. It breaches the conventional story method and pushes the boundaries on how far a movie can go in terms of visuals and acting. Part avant garde. Part black comedy. Part satire. Part super hero fantasy. All excellent.