Review: Birdman Is A Casting & Cinematography Masterclass
- Mar 30, 2018
- 2 min read
Birdman is a very real look at Michael Keaton's life since portraying Batman in Batman and Batman Returns. Like Keaton, his character Riggan Thomson once played a bird-themed superhero in some very successful movies, but now he's unable to escape that role which has been following him around for decades, and the general public doesn't seem to see him as much more than a crazy guy who used to be Birdman. I don't know to which degree Keaton feels the things portrayed in the film, but it's a beautiful portrayal of what I'm sure many actors have been through.
The film is about Riggan trying to relaunch his career with a new Broadway play. He butts heads with fellow star Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), fights with his daugher Sam (Emma Stone), and is trying to repair things with his girlfriend Lesley (Naomi Watts). I don't want to talk much more about the plot, because this masterpiece must be seen to be believed.
Birdman is cast with numerous actors who have, to some degree, been stuck in a particular role or two and probably feel all of what Riggan feels. The main three cast members (Keaton, Stone, Norton) have all been major characters in superhero movies, and Norton in particular is really only known for Fight Club and The Incredible Hulk. Galifianakis has repeatedly been cast to play the same character he did in The Hangover. And I'm sure Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan, and Lindsay Duncan have all felt stuck in their acting careers, especially given that they've all been recurring characters in popular TV shows. This really brings the movie to life, and Keaton's performance in particular is beautiful and emotional - mostly due to his own experiences, I'm certain.
As you may have heard, the vast majority of the movie is one continuous take. It's because of this that it feels far more natural as we see Riggan fall apart - rather than feeling like we're seeing the worst stuff the filmmakers want us to see, we're seeing everything, and we understand Riggan better for it. We also see all of his struggles and emotions play out in real time, so we feel his pain and create a connection. The other creative filmmaking techniques in the music, the camerawork, the visual effects, and the character of Birdman (who speaks to Riggan throughout intimate moments of the movie) all come together to paint an elaborate and detailed portrait of Riggan, and through that, Keaton.
Birdman was extremely experimental with the camerawork, the casting, the music, and the intimacy Keaton allows us. But it paid off, and despite some stranger elements and unusual storytelling, nothing really feels out of place here. Keaton and Norton give their best performances yet, to tell a story we never knew we wanted to be told.
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