A spoiler-free introduction to Birdman

Rating: 9/10 (24 February 2015)

READ THIS FIRST: I give an abstract description of what happens in the film without describing any actual content. Therefore, this review is quite (though not entirely) spoiler free, but if you simply want an answer to the question: 'Should I watch Birdman?' I recommend skipping to the end!
Birdman is a film about the kind of life Michael Keaton might have, starring Micheal Keaton.
This premise is excellent and was to me reason enough to go see Birdman. Furhermore, the acting is excellent by every single cast member and the direction is original and compelling, effectively entwined with the motives of the film. The theater feels claustrophobic and the odd transitions maintain a feel of unpredictability. There is also a continuity in the filming that is very well executed. From a professional perspective, Birdman delivers.
But there's also a lot of things that Birdman is not, that you may expect it to be from trailers: Birdman is not a superhero movie in any obvious or direct sense. It is for the most part about the work and life in theater. The charge that this is pretentious is understandable: someone who comes into Birdman expecting an eccentric work of art won't be disappointed, but someone who expects to be easily entertained will find it bothersome.
The first three-quarters of the film are tense and exciting for anyone who feels the impending doom of a show about to fall apart (a tension comparable to that of Misses Doubtfire), but this tension borders on anxiety inducing. None of the characters feel strongly relatable, each rendered unpredictable by their own Freudian struggles; as a result, the cynical voice of Birdman in the head of main protagonist Riggan Thomson (Keaton) becomes oddly comforting. Mike Shines (Norton) personifies this unpredictability: he is a despicable human being who cares only about what happens on stage, making him an ideal artist and a scumbag simultaneously.
While Mike Shines personifies Riggan's professional effort to create legitimate art, he is also confronted with his personal life, particularly his detachment with it. All the characters display their personal flaws in a believably (though perhaps a little rushed), but those of Riggan are most credible. He is tormented by his loss of celebrity relevance, and although he loves his daughter and ex-wife, he has convinced himself he needs his fame to earn their respect.
This forms the triad of values in his life: family, art, and fame. Riggan has trouble separating these three. He tries to become relevant again by doing theater, something he considers real art contrary to his Birdman career. In doing so, he hopes to win the respect of his ex-wife and daughter. Yet his work is overshadowed by Birdman who explicitly torments him with the questions: Aren't you doing all this for celebrity and fame? Then why not just make Birdman 4?
The pretentiousness of the entire first part of the film comes mostly from the jokes about actors and how shallow their dreams may be or seem. This, combined with the anxiously unpredictable atmosphere that surrounds the theater, makes the first part of the film a little difficult to watch. Yet the movie all builds up to a wonderful climax that literally transcends the entirety of the first part of the film and requires the petty personal quarrels of all these characters, only to be forgotten right after.
It is Riggan's eventual identification with Birdman that creates the continuity in his life, work and fame, not elegantly or clearly, but flawed with paradox. This forms a beautiful conclusion: Riggan may be old, flawed, even confused, but he was and is Birdman. And Birdman can fly.
RECOMMENDATION: In summary, Birdman deals with the struggles of artists who must navigate their lives around their work, popularity and personal lives. This struggle is presented in a way that is easy to understand, though perhaps not always pleasant to watch. The contemporary theme of heroism is very fitting, though only a minor part of the film. I highly recommend Birdman to anyone who feels they can relate to the artist's struggle.