Witty, Clever, Funny and Dramatic

Rating: 8/10 (15 January 2015)

I was excited to go and see this film in the cinema and thankfully I was not disappointed. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a Black Comedy starring Hollywood powerhouses like Michael Keaton and Ed Norton and is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (whose name I can't pronounce).
The film is about a washed-up actor who is famous for portraying a popular comic book character on the big screen. This actor is Riggan Thomson played by Michael Keaton who was made famous for the exact same thing. In an attempt to become "relevant" again, Riggan decides to adapt a novel into a Broadway stage production.
One of the elements to this film that really stuck out for me was the performances. Michael Keaton and Ed Norton were arguably the best, but Emma Stone and Zach Galifianakis also give stellar performances. All the actors have great chemistry on screen which helps to produce an enjoyable experience.
Furthermore, another thing that I liked about the film was that it wasn't entirely a Comedy, or entirely and Drama. It incorporated different elements from different genres and combined them beautifully together. There was never a point where I thought the change in tone was forced. I found myself laughing at some points and completely entranced during others.
Even though I mostly enjoyed this film, there were downsides in my opinion. Unfortunately I'm a bit too used to the conventional Hollywood style of filmmaking. This film seems more artsy than most films in main stream cinemas at the moment so those, like me, who don't often visit Art House cinemas may find some parts a bit weird and out of place. However, overall it didn't hinder my viewing experience too much.
In conclusion, Birdman is a great film that definitely deserves multiple viewings. Michael Keaton and Ed Norton give Oscar worthy performances, the story is great and offers different tones to please different viewers. If I was to have a gripe with this film it would be that some bits are a bit weird to me.