An inventive portrayal of a fallen hero

Rating: 8/10 (7 April 2016)

Birdman, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and with Michael Keaton in the lead role. The film is about washed-up actor Riggan, who earlier played the famous superhero Birdman. In an attempt to revive his declining career, Riggan puts up his own Broadway play but at the same time battles family issues and personal psychological problems.
Birdman is an incredibly well made film and really pulls you into the story from the start. It is shot to be experienced as one long take, which means that the camera sweeps around in the theater, creating a claustrophobic and stressful feeling. We follow the characters as they venture up on stage, behind the scene and in to their personal dressing rooms. To further expand the stressful feeling, Birdman's film score only contains percussions.
In supporting roles we see Naomi Watts and Edward Norton as fellow actors in Riggan's play, but also Emma Stone as his daughter and Zach Galifianakis as his agent. Several of the actors, including Michael Keaton, have said that making the film was one of the hardest things they have done so far. Alejandro also stated that a lot of people around him thought the idea was crazy and would be extremely difficult to finish.
The funny thing about Birdman is the subtle hints to reality. Michael Keaton himself is an actor who previously played the superhero Batman on screen, and the film includes small references to this. Edward Norton has a reputation for being difficult, which they also more or less joke about.
Birdman was awarded an Oscar for best picture, cinematography, screenplay and director. Especially cinematography and the direction are clearly working together to create the style of the film. Each scene probably had to be planned to the smallest detail, for it to be able to work. I can speak about Birdman for ages, but I don't want to spoil too much and also to really understand what I mean, you should watch it and experience it yourselves.
David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se