Probably More Clever than Profound, but Certainly Fun

Rating: 8/10 (21 September 2016)

When I saw Rope, which Alfred Hitchcock famously filmed as though it were one continuous take, I was disappointed, because the continuous take effect wasn't nearly as cool as I expected. Decades later, Birdman does it right. The entire movie is filmed as one long take, with the camera swooping and gliding and wandering about. Not only is it cool, but it doesn't feel like a pure cinematic trick, but rather a technique to create a sense of claustrophobia and chaos, and to allow actors long, intimate, intense scenes.
The basic story is straightforward enough - has been Hollywood Star Michael Keaton attempt to storm Broadway and experiences various disasters and personality conflicts - but the movie asks you to question everything you see from the beginning, when Keaton is seen floating in mid-air. The question of whether Keaton is supernatural is soon joined by questions of whether this movie is seriously presenting worn out tropes like a brilliant, destructive actor or a vindictive, all-powerful theater critic or whether everything in the movie is actually a mental projection.
While the plot lives in a strange reality, it is counter-balanced with very grounded performances. The cast is excellent, particularly Ed Norton as the brilliant destructive actor and even more so Emma Stone as Keaton's angry daughter.
The is this real or not vibe is most reminiscent of the brilliant TV series Wilfred, but overall the movie seems like a mix of Living in Oblivion and Black Swan, two entertainment-industry movies that toy with reality.
It's not, for me, quite as good as either of those. Yes, it's brilliantly acted and clever as all get-out, but I'm not sure the movie really has much to say; it feels like it just wants to impress you with its cleverness, and while it does, I wish I felt there was something more to it.
All the same, it's a really interesting movie, and a must-see for fans of cinematography, for which it deservedly won an Oscar.