A strange film, but don't miss out on this unique experience

Rating: 9/10 (20 November 2014)

I'm just going to begin with saying that I didn't absolutely love "Birdman"... but I did really enjoy my experience of seeing the film and on a technical level, I think it's absolutely brilliant. This is the kind of movie that your average audience is probably just going to be baffled by, but if your top-ten list of favourite movies includes at least one drama and you're the kind of person that likes to check out off-beat, more indie type movies, you should definitely check this out. It's a black comedy with some awesome cinematography, like so good it will blow your mind, great performances, a lot of sorta-kinda unanswered questions and some truly unique moments. It's the story of Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton). He's an actor that used to be really big, but now he's nothing more than a trivia question for superhero enthusiasts ever since he left his iconic role, "Birdman" twenty years ago. He is currently attempting to reinvent himself and trying to give his acting career some credibility by writing, directing and starring in a play adaptation of Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". Things are not going well, and it isn't helped by his mess of a daughter (Emma Stone), the ambitious actors, or the egotistical lead. Oh and Riggan may or may not have superpowers and has a voice inside his head.
I had no idea what to expect with this movie. I knew there was a man with telekinetic powers, he was going to be hearing voices from a guy called Birdman and that it looked like a craaaazy movie. It certainly is a film that's different, but I enjoy different and if you do too, I think you'll dig it. The most startling thing that I noticed was that for the most part, the film is shown in one long, unbroken shot. That's incredible. Can you imagine how much choreography, rehearsing and expert timing went into making sure that everyone was on cue, recited their lines and allowed the camera and sound people to follow them, move around and ensure the story kept going smoothly? It's absolutely insane! For me, this wasn't just a gimmick. It was a way to get totally immersed in the movie. This movie is about a play. What's the difference between a play and a movie? It's the lack of editing. If you forget your lines on stage, that's it. You screwed up, let EVERYONE down! Because of the way it's shot, the acting in the film is like the acting of a play, except that it isn't all set on a single stage with phoney doors that get moved depending on what "room" the actors are in. You actually get to walk around and follow the characters. This added a whole other element to the movie. This is a small production that is not going to fly with your typical crowd. This is a movie that is taking a chance. Just like the characters inside the film who are putting themselves on stage and performing this play. I'm used to seeing movies with editing in them, so seeing a movie with no "breaks" in it made me hyper aware of the tension the actors would have been feeling making the movie AND that the characters inside the film would have been feeling. It's a wild experience.
Still on the technical side, I found the movie to have terrific music and sound editing. For most of the film we have drum solos, perfectly timed with the action and at least a couple of times you can actually see the musician in the background. It really added a lot. We then have performances that I thought were nothing short of brilliant. Not only do we have actors giving solid performances as these characters, but a lot of them also act as actors inside the movie. It's one of these inception performances, with the actors having to act extra well to portray (in some cases) bad actors inside the movie.
What about the story itself? It's a weird one, but I liked it. A lot of the characters are messes and I wanted to see where they were going to go. Seeing all of the backstage play stuff was interesting, even more so because you don't know if the play is going to be a success, or the end of Riggan's career. Then there's the whole Birdman element that throws you completely for a loop. Is he crazy? Does he have super powers? Is he going to give up on acting and go on a rampage, "Chronicle" style? He's not the only interesting one either. Everyone here feels like a real person, they're all vulnerable and panicking, fully aware of the odds against them. Dark comedies are hit or miss for me, so I had mixed feelings at first, but the more I think about it, the more I wouldn't mind seeing "Birdman" again so I could discuss how the movie made me feel and how some of the subtle elements reflect the real world and the actors cast in the film.
This is a weird movie. It means it'll make you think and maybe that's something you're not used to so at first, you are going to feel like you got bamboozled. Regardless of how you feel about the characters and the actions of the film there are some things that are undeniable. Technically it's amazing, it's going to be unlike anything you've ever seen, the performances are really good and it's a movie that will affect everyone differently. Did I love the movie? I'd say I liked it more than loved. What I did love is the experience of watching "Birdman". It's a very ambitious movie and you're probably going to hear about it quite a bit in the future, so don't miss out by not taking a chance. (Theatrical version on the big screen, November 18, 2014)