Review: ‘Birdman’ is a unique look at the line between art, entertainment

Posted on November 28, 2014

By MARK VIOLA

“Birdman” is from director Alejandro González Iñárritu, who is less well-known than his movies, which include “21 Grams,” “Biutiful” and “Babel,” which was nominated for Best Film at the 2007 Academy Awards.

“Birdman” is about art, entertainment, actors, Hollywood, Broadway, movies, plays and the boundaries separating or connecting all of them. But it’s also about a man caught up in these struggles, both internal and social, trying in vain to find the answers.

The film is presented in one of the most unique ways I can remember, edited to appear as if almost the entire film was shot in one continuous take. With stellar performances and solid direction, “Birdman” is both memorable and powerful, posing questions and forcing its audience to ask their own.

The movie stars Michael Keaton (“Batman”) as Riggan Thomson, a washed-up actor best known for starring in a series of superhero films called “Birdman” more than 20 years ago. In one last attempt to resurrect his career and gain some artistic credibility, Riggan has written and produced a stage play based on real life Raymond Carver’s short story, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”

“Birdman” is a unique movie, filled with deep questions and powerful acting, but ultimately telling a story about a man struggling to find himself in a world that no longer seems to have a place for him.

The film is rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and brief violence.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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