Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Name: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: October 17, 2014
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 87
Cast: Amy Ryan, Andrea Riseborough, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Michael Keaton

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 58 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1882 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1882 Ratings

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Birdman

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: October 17, 2014 | R

Starring: Amy Ryan, Andrea Riseborough, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Michael Keaton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis

Summary: An actor (Michael Keaton)—famous for portraying an iconic superhero—struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 119 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Oct 23, 2014

This is a strange and beautiful and unique film, one of the best movies of the year. Read full review

100

Mike Scott

Oct 31, 2014

From the first line of its deep, rapid-fire dialog all the way through to its trippy ending -- which is guaranteed prompt discussion on the drive home -- Inarritu has crafted a film that begs to be rewatched, with the promise of each repeated viewing bringing something new. Read full review

100

Zachary Shevich

Apr 23, 2019

Led by a fantastic Michael Keaton, Birdman is a deeply thoughtful and darkly hilarious meta dissection of egotism that satirizes the entertainment business with a compelling visual style that is all its own. Read full review

Chris Nashawaty

Oct 15, 2014

Birdman is a scalpel-sharp dissection of Hollywood, Broadway, and fame in the 21st century. But more than that, it's a testament to Keaton's enduring charisma and power as an actor. He soars. Read full review

Alonso Duralde

Aug 27, 2014

The director has wisely assembled an ensemble of performers who know how to handle a long take; this will certainly rank among Keaton's career highlights — in a role that allows him to completely dump out his paintbox and show a vast range of emotion — but everyone shines. Read full review

A.A. Dowd

Oct 16, 2014

For Michael Keaton, Birdman is some kind of gift from the movie gods, a license to have his cake and messily devour it too. Read full review

Rex Reed

Oct 15, 2014

An unrecognizable Michael Keaton seems to have aged 40 years since the last time he appeared on the screen, but he’s still the best (i.e., only) reason to suffer through a miserable load of deranged, deluded crap masquerading as a black comedy called Birdman. Read full review

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User Reviews

JE61

Oct 26, 2014

I congratulate Alejandro González Iñárritu on this absolutely superb black comedy. The script is delightful and witty as he cleverly uses magical realism to near perfect effect as he examines the failure and fulfillment of fictional actor/director, Riggan Thomson.

The protagonist's onI congratulate Alejandro González Iñárritu on this absolutely superb black comedy. The script is delightful and witty as he cleverly uses magical realism to near perfect effect as he examines the failure and fulfillment of fictional actor/director, Riggan Thomson.

The protagonist's on screen and off screen struggles whirl around at a dizzying pace as the camera follows him through the narrow shabby, sets, halls and rooftops of the theater. Seamlessly the audience slides along with him from one stormy long take to the next spirited long take. Skillfully, acted and choreographed, the camera follows the players through the grimy backstage of a broadway play as the fragile production teeters on collapse at every turn.

The accident ridden production reflects Riggan's internal strife as he teeters on the edge mental breakdown. Haunted by inexorable unconscious voices that foment both his ambition and self doubt, he struggles to be the artist he envisions . . . if only he doesn't destroy the whole thing himself along the way. Take this certain "Best Picture" nominee roller coaster ride and hold on with two hands.… Expand

56 of 74 users found this helpful5618

MerwLoveMovies

Jul 22, 2023

I Love it. Is one of the Best masterpieces from Iñaritu and Its one of the Best Black comedy for me. 10/10

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Argeon

Oct 25, 2014

This movie is simply fascinating. It starts off being very confusing, sort of like staring at a painting 3 centimeters from it, and then as the movie continues, you zoom out and can see the entire picture. The acting is top notch, on-par with The Master and The Godfather, and touches on manyThis movie is simply fascinating. It starts off being very confusing, sort of like staring at a painting 3 centimeters from it, and then as the movie continues, you zoom out and can see the entire picture. The acting is top notch, on-par with The Master and The Godfather, and touches on many subjects, such as the pressures of theatre and the meaning of performance. It's a very thoughtful movie with a quirky style and fantastic message behind it. I cannot recommend it enough. If you want to watch some Oscars-material and want to think, don't hesitate to watch it.… Expand

9 of 16 users found this helpful97

o_rety

Jun 17, 2019

It's an acting tour de force, for sure, and I liked the overall crazed out quirkiness, but was left with a feeling it didn't really wanted the deep, meaningful undertones to rise up to the surface. At the end you find yourself dumbfounded with the constant barrage of high quality style andIt's an acting tour de force, for sure, and I liked the overall crazed out quirkiness, but was left with a feeling it didn't really wanted the deep, meaningful undertones to rise up to the surface. At the end you find yourself dumbfounded with the constant barrage of high quality style and rather robbed of never to be found substance… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

ZChong

May 27, 2015

I like this movie, but I will say Whiplash was robbed. Michael Keaton, Ed Norton and Emma Stone were really good in their performances. Lindsey Duncan (despite seeing her in other performances) really broke out. I enjoyed the plot and the "confusing" ending. Well done, but not best picture.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

ClariseSamuels

May 28, 2015

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences must have a soft spot for films that are about their own industry, for how else do you explain that Birdman snatched up the highest honors at the Oscars this year? The cast is filled with veteran actors whose reputation precedes them—MichaelThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences must have a soft spot for films that are about their own industry, for how else do you explain that Birdman snatched up the highest honors at the Oscars this year? The cast is filled with veteran actors whose reputation precedes them—Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis are the featured players, and they are all well-known stars. Keaton plays an actor whose heyday is long over. It has been over twenty years since he was famous for being a comic book character named Birdman. Now determined to make a comeback as a serious actor, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) has written, produced and is starring in his own Broadway play, based on a short story by Raymond Carver, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”

Broadway is the dream destination for many a serious actor, but director/writer Alejandro Inarritu sees the seedy side of the glamour. The backstage fitting rooms are cluttered, dark, and depressing. Actors are all psychologically damaged. They are obsessed with sexuality; they are angry and frustrated; and they have broken families and broken lives. Riggan himself is functional but psychotic—he thinks he has superpowers, he has auditory hallucinations where he hears the voice of Birdman, his old character, who is constantly berating him. And most dangerously, he thinks he can fly.

As the show’s producer, Riggan is depending on his male lead, Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), to attract large audiences. Shiner is famous but he is an alcoholic who believes that his devotion to his art has elevated him to a priesthood that makes him an untouchable demigod. When Shiner gets drunk on stage in previews and disrupts the show so that the curtain has to come down on a shocked audience, he merely excuses himself with the arrogant belief that previews are not that important. Riggan’s daughter Samantha (Emma Stone) works for her father as his assistant, a job she hates, but she is fresh out of rehab and is lucky to be employed. She is disheveled, lost, and spiritually battered as is every member of the play’s cast.

The theatricality of the stage is a different kind of acting from film acting. One has to exaggerate one’s gestures, project one’s voice, and pretend that you are unaware of the hundreds of people sitting in the audience. We see Keaton and company practicing their craft on stage, but when they leave the stage, they are unable to leave behind the theatricality. We have actors playing actors, who then must be actors playing actors who are acting in a play; then they exit the stage and go back to actors playing actors. There are fifty shades of subtlety involved, and they can’t identify all the hues. They simply keep acting like they are on a stage the whole time. It makes for an eccentric artificiality, which starts to become tedious by the end of the film.

Theater critics do not fare well in this film. The most powerful critic in New York City admits to Riggan that she is going to close down the play with a scathing review, even though the play hasn’t opened yet, and she has not seen a single preview. She is described by Riggan and Shiner as a woman who looks like she just licked the derriere of a homeless person, an imbecile insult that boggles the mind.

In general, magical realism is an interesting genre, but when the “magic” part is actually a manifestation of symptoms of mental illness, it’s not that interesting.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

Ayvaza

Nov 15, 2022

the trailers are clearly not showing what this movie is about. i for my part watched this as a hero movie and got dissapointed. its all about actors who go through midlife crisis and their brain gibberish. i watched many movies but never one which is in my opinion highly praised butthe trailers are clearly not showing what this movie is about. i for my part watched this as a hero movie and got dissapointed. its all about actors who go through midlife crisis and their brain gibberish. i watched many movies but never one which is in my opinion highly praised but overrated like this. this is liked by journalists, who got some inside knowledge, so nothing for people who expect hero stuff, action or interesting characters. i am glad that i can give this a 0 star rating, people may give me a downvote but i dont care, i just regret watching this and wasting precious time which i could have spent watching mobile phone ads… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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15	#15 Best Movie of 2014
11	#11 Most Discussed Movie of 2014
13	#13 Most Shared Movie of 2014