Actor Riggan Thomson is most famous for his movie role from over twenty years ago of the comic book superhero Birdman in the blockbuster movie of the same name and its two equally popular sequels. His association with the role took over his life, where Birdman is more renowned than "Riggan Thomson" the actor. Now past middle age, Riggan is trying to establish himself as a true artist by writing, directing, starring in and co-producing with his best friend Jake what is his Broadway debut, an adaptation of Raymond Carver's story, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. He is staking his name, what little artistic reputation that comes with that name and his life savings on the project, and as such will do anything needed to make the play a success. As he and Jake go through the process of the previews toward opening night, Riggan runs into several issues: needing to find a replacement for the integral supporting male role the night before the first preview; hiring the talented ...Written by
Huggo
Fittingly, given this movie's setting and subject matter, many of the secondary roles or bit parts are played by people who, in their real lives, have accomplished Broadway careers. Jeremy Shamos (Ralph, who Riggan thinks is a terrible actor) was in seven Broadway shows between 2004 and 2016, and was nominated for a Tony in 2012. William Youmans (Bartender Tommy) was in the Broadway casts of Wicked, Big River, Finian's Rainbow, and Bright Star, among many other shows (and he is also a relative of the great Broadway Composer Vincent Youmans, who was name-checked in Cole Porter's classic song "You're the Top"). Lindsay Duncan (Tabitha, the jaded critic) has been in four Broadway plays, including the production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses that first introduced Alan Rickman to American audiences. Donna Lynne Champlin (Broadway Lady) has performed in such Broadway musicals as Sweeney Todd, Billy Elliot, and By Jeeves. Roberta Colindrez (Broadway Woman on Street) played Joan in the original Broadway cast of Fun Home. Jackie Hoffman (Lady on Balcony (Mary)) has appeared in such Broadway musicals as On the Town, The Addams Family, Xanadu, and Hairspray. Bill Camp (Crazy Man) has been in seven Broadway plays between 1993 and 2016. Michael Siberry (Larry) has appeared in eight Broadway plays and musicals from 1986 on, including leads in productions of The Sound of Music, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and Spamalot. Stephen Adly Guirgis (Good Neighbor) is an accomplished playwright whose plays include Jesus Hopped the A Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, The Motherfucker with the Hat, and Between Riverside and Crazy (winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama). See more »
Goofs
The drum set shown in the film has fewer pieces than the one that is heard. The film set has no floor tom; only snare, bass and high tom. It also has fewer cymbals; with only a hi-hat and ride cymbal, the recorded kit has at least three more (splash, crash and china cymbals). The scene where the drums are played in the green room matches perfectly, as none of the excluded pieces are played in the audio, until Riggan passes by. As the drums are seen being played behind him, they are clearly mismatched with the audio, and pieces like the floor tom are played without being shown. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Young Birdman:
How did we end up here? This place is horrible. Smells like balls. We don't belong here.
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Crazy Credits
Begin and end credits are presented in a peculiar style with the rhythm of the drums See more »
Alternate Versions
Sundance TV recently released an edited version which removes the swearing and zooms in the scene it shows Edward Norton's butt so it is not shown. See more »
Great opening at the Venice Film Festival with this must-see movie. The story of an actor persecuted by the role that made him popular, "Birdman", and pressured by the willing of proving himself on stage with his new play.
The characters in the story are all struggling with something: Sam (Emma Stone) with her drug addiction, Mike (Edward Norton) with his sexual problems, Lesley (Naomi Watts) with her self- realization and Michael Keaton with love. What kind of love is he lacking? Is it admiration for his work? The same admiration that chained him to Bridman, who is probably the only one capable of saving him.
The cinematography reminds of that used in Hitchcock's "Rope": it seems to be filmed consequently. The originality of the cinematography, though, may have sacrificed the storyline.
"Birdman" certainly needs to be seen more than one, but likewise certainly it's going to be one of the greatest movies of the year
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Great opening at the Venice Film Festival with this must-see movie. The story of an actor persecuted by the role that made him popular, "Birdman", and pressured by the willing of proving himself on stage with his new play.
The characters in the story are all struggling with something: Sam (Emma Stone) with her drug addiction, Mike (Edward Norton) with his sexual problems, Lesley (Naomi Watts) with her self- realization and Michael Keaton with love. What kind of love is he lacking? Is it admiration for his work? The same admiration that chained him to Bridman, who is probably the only one capable of saving him.
The cinematography reminds of that used in Hitchcock's "Rope": it seems to be filmed consequently. The originality of the cinematography, though, may have sacrificed the storyline.
"Birdman" certainly needs to be seen more than one, but likewise certainly it's going to be one of the greatest movies of the year