The second half most momentum

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2015)

This film tells the story of a then famous actor who wants to regain credibility by creating his own Broadway adaptation of a play. The run-up to the opening is plagued by problems.
When I realised that the film appeared to be shot in one take, my interest in it got heightened. I kept looking for spots where there could have been a break in filming. This interest didn't last until the end, however, because I only found the first half of the film interesting.
The first half tells a convincing story of what happens in a Broadway production. All the actors give great performances, even Emma Stone whom I didn't realise acted so well. How the camera flows from one scene to another is quite an experience.
The second half of the story gets confusing. The story focuses on the downfall of the lead character. It takes on surrealism, or hallucinations; the exact nature is open to debate. Instead of increasing my interest, I had decreased interest in the film because it is confusing and strays so much from the first half of the story. I thought the momentum from the first half is lost.
Overall, I would still watch "Birdman", mainly for the great continuous shot and for the actors performances.