Birdman Is An Instant Classic

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2014)

I can't remember the last time I've so passionately loved a film. Walking out of the theater, I was literally weak in the knees.
Birdman is everything I love about film as an art form: it's bold, incredibly original, emotionally rich, gorgeously shot, and unmistakably energetic and alive. It's about how art and life are hopelessly intertwined, how people's lives, egos, opinions, have all become clichés of art, people searching for true meaning and social acceptance in the murky battleground of the stage, fantasy vs reality, past vs present, popularity vs prestige, criticism of criticism, the jumble of life's mysteries. Birdman balances these ideas beautifully and delivers them ferociously, angrily. The characters constantly rant and rave to each other about how phony everyone is, about who is most passionate and real, how theater audience are rich white people whose only care is where they're going to eat after the show, how movie audiences are morons who only care about shootouts and superheroes. These ideas are bitter and acerbic and they're the true heart of the film. One of my very favorite scenes features Sam, Riggan's daughter, explaining to him how a roll of toilet paper that has 150 dots on each square, each dot symbolizing 100,000 years, is like the history of Earth. Sam says that humans represent only a single square of toilet paper on the entire roll, which really puts into perspective just how self-obsessed we are and how all of our self-doubt and truth-searching are ultimately meaningless in the grand scheme of things; how if humans are negligible, so is art, and vice versa. We're only as meaningful as we say we are: this is an idea displayed in the movie by Riggan's ability to bend the laws of physics. Sometimes, he genuinely believes he has the powers of his superhero alter ego, and by simply believing, he possesses these abilities. This is just incredible! I could go on for pages about the films themes and ideas, but it also has an extremely impressive technical side to discuss.
The experience of Birdman is like a stream-of-consciousness jazz piece that lasts for 2 hours and doesn't let up or slacken for a moment. Alejandro Iñárritu and Emmanuel Lubezki (probably the greatest cinematographer of our generation) shot Birdman in what is mainly supposed to look like one uninterrupted take. Similar to Hitchcock's Rope, but the one-take technique is both more captivating and meaningful in this case. It brings a strange surrealism to the whole experience which highlights the blending of real life with fantasy/art. The constantly moving and unblinking camera eye also does wonders in making the audience feel like they themselves are part of the story, a genuinely brilliant decision that rewards attentive viewers with a unique, transcendent experience. The score is almost entirely percussive and feels much like the pulse of Birdman. When the camera is moving and so are the characters, the drums kick in, but when the camera is still and the tone turns dramatic or melancholy, they sputter out.
Now, on to the performances, and this is a huge category. The entire cast is brilliant and there are absolutely no exceptions. The players themselves are like jazz musicians that feed off of each other's vibes and energy to create some kind of sweeping, orchestral odyssey. Michael Keaton and Edward Norton are arguably playing exaggerated versions of themselves, which adds to the innumerable layers of satire already at work. Keaton as Riggan shows off his entire acting range and gives what is without a doubt the best performance I've seen from him. Norton is more of a straight-up douche, but he still radiates intelligence and a mysterious yearning. Zach Galifianakis is one of those comedians that I thought could be a great dramatic actor if he wanted to, and my thoughts were confirmed with his small, impressive performance here . Emma Stone shocked me with her powerful yet intimate portrayal of Riggan's young, ex-drug addict daughter and delivers Birdman's most memorable ranting scene as well as some of the film's most tantalizing and thought- provoking bits. The extraordinary female cast is rounded out with great efforts by Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan, Andrea Riseborough, and Lindsay Duncan.
I'm elated to have finally seen Birdman. My expectations were high going in but were completely blown away, which almost never happens. Iñarritu and company have created a funny, exciting, thought-provoking, and all around jaw-dropping masterpiece that deserves every award it's got coming to it. Birdman is the best of the 216 movies I've seen so far this year, and is generally one of the best movie-going experiences I've ever had. Easiest 10 I think I've ever given.