A Profound Dive: Exploring Cinema, Theatre, and the Actor’s Psyche
Birdman offers a powerful and immersive experience, delving into the world of cinema and theatre, as well as the thoughts, motivations, and creative processes of actors who dare to leap into the unknown.
Once a celebrated actor known for his role in a major superhero franchise in the early 90s, Riggan Thomson is now desperately trying to reclaim his former glory and self-confidence. He invests his remaining fortune in a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver’s work. However, the production is plagued with problems: an accident during rehearsal leads to the arrival of an uncontrollable replacement actor, Riggan’s daughter and assistant battles addiction, and his ex-wife and current partner seem intent on draining his soul. Temptations abound, making it easy to abandon his dream. Yet, Riggan is determined to avoid being forever defined as Birdman…
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Alejandro González Iñárritu sees parallels between Riggan’s journey and his own, having faced his ego and sought motivation after his debut film’s success.
Sometimes, film distributors can be overzealous in their efforts to cater to audiences. While Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest film has been making waves at festivals and has already had a limited release in the US, it won’t reach Russian screens until late January. This creates a stark contrast: international press is showering the film with praise, while only the most dedicated cinephiles have even heard of it here. It’s disappointing to have to wait to experience this magnificent film, but also exciting for those who will soon be immersed in the whirlwind of emotions that is the story of a Birdman who has fallen from his nest.
What Makes “Birdman” So Special?
What makes “Birdman” so special that it has critics raving? Primarily, its complexity. This two-hour film explores a wide range of themes: cinema and theatre, the private lives of stars versus their public personas, success and failure, family and work, the individual versus the collective, everything and nothing. The film can be viewed from various angles, each revealing new layers. These kinds of profound films emerge when the director and actors are so deeply engaged in the story that they become one with it. “Birdman” has more of these “immersed” individuals than most films, as it delves into the daily lives of actors, the heavy burden of fame, and the even heavier journey to achieve it.
The setting for “Birdman’s” continuous chain of events is the St. James Theatre on 44th Street in Times Square, a real Broadway theatre.
A Stellar Cast and Visual Brilliance
A fantastic cast is another crucial element of the film. While Hollywood has its share of self-deprecating actors, Michael Keaton seems to have surpassed them all. Riggan Thomson, who rose to fame as Birdman and now seeks to distance himself from the role, mirrors Keaton himself, the Batman of the 90s. Keaton seizes the opportunity to shed the constraints of the character that brought him fame, gleefully tearing feathers from his winged superhero ego. While other examples of such raw emotional exposure exist, let’s simply enjoy Keaton/Thomson – he’s phenomenal! He’s matched by Edward Norton’s self-absorbed character (also known as the Hulk), Emma Stone’s volatile and perpetually dissatisfied Sam (Gwen Stacy, among other roles), Zach Galifianakis’ surprisingly composed and serious character, and Naomi Watts’ remarkably natural portrayal of a perennial loser. Every scene with these actors is captivating.
Speaking of scenes, it’s impossible to discuss “Birdman” without mentioning the incredible cinematography. Emmanuel Lubezki, who also worked on Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity,” was behind the camera for Iñárritu. The third remarkable aspect of “Birdman” is the stunningly convincing illusion that the entire film was shot in one continuous take, without any cuts. The camera never stops, penetrating every cell of the cinematic organism, revealing every detail of the characters’ relationships, and making every emotion palpable on stage and screen. This captivating, dizzying, and all-encompassing effect is comparable to the now-iconic opening 17 minutes of “Gravity.” Lubezki once again sends you into space, but this time, it’s the inner space of a single individual.
If these three reasons aren’t enough to dedicate two hours of your life to “Birdman,” consider the numerous references to contemporary cinema and its stars, prepare for a scathing exchange between a critic and an actor, where both sides resort to underhanded tactics, and make room for the conflict between theatre and cinema, arthouse and mass media. Ultimately, “Birdman” is simply an excellent comedy about the complexities of the human mind, the elusiveness of thoughts, and the fleeting nature of desires. The film’s subtitle, “The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance,” perfectly characterizes the filmmakers, the characters, and even the audience.