User reviews

THE BIRDCAGE is the hysterically entertaining Americanized version of the French classic LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. In this version Robin Williams plays the gay owner of a Florida nightclub who learns his straight son (Dan Futterman) is coming home and is engaged to be married. Williams learns from his son that his fiancée's parents (Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest) are straight-laced and ultra-conservative and will not be comfortable meeting his gay father or his even more flamboyant lover (Nathan Lane) and suggests Williams send Lane out of town while Hackman and Wiest are in town. Instead, Lane puts on his best drag and meets the parents as Williams' wife in one of the most hilarious dinner party scenes ever filmed. This film is chock full of sparkling dialogue and sharp performances. I also found it rather refreshing to see Robin Williams playing straight man to Lane, who along with Hank Azaria as their housekeeper, practically steal the film from everyone else in one of the most entertaining comedies of the 90's. And the sight of Gene Hackman in drag is something everyone must experience.

What do you get when you get two comedy legends like Nathan Lane and the brilliant Robin Williams and tell them to be as camp and lovable as possible? This movie. It's heartwarming how much Albert (Nathan Lane) tries to make himself 'normal' for his stepson's girlfriend, just to finally see he is normal. He's a wonderful mother figure, and that's all that matters. It's a funny, smart and sweet story that's a good thing to watch whenever you just want to feel better.

Though nothing can beat "La Cage aux Folles," the film on which this American version is based, I still found "The Birdcage" delightful fun and hilarious at times, thanks to the comic geniuses of Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Lane is the dramatic Albert, an over the top drag queen who has lived for years with Robin Williams, Armand, the owner of The Birdcage, where Albert performs. Armand once had a liaison with a woman, which produced a son, Val, who now wants to be married to the daughter of a conservative politician. In order for that to occur, Armand has to become butch, all gay art work, etc., needs to exit the apartment - and Albert must disappear for a few days.

Williams is hilarious - my two favorite scenes are his rehearsal with Albert and a young man appearing with him on stage, and the scene where he coaches Armand on being macho - priceless. Nathan Lane's shtick is familiar to me, as I've seen him in "The Producers" and "The Odd Couple" - he's a riot as the insecure, jealous, easily hurt Albert.

The role of Val is problematic, because how does one keep him from looking like a complete bastard as he shuts out Armand, who raised him. But Dan Futterman and Calista Flockhart as Barbara make a lovely young couple. Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest are very funny as Barbara's befuddled parents.

It's been a long time since I've seen the French "La Cage aux Folles," and I saw the musical on Broadway as well. The French is superior to any version. The musical is quite poignant and emphasizes its statement in the song, "I Am Who I Am." The joy of the French film is that the actors playing the lovers, Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault, play their roles very seriously, and the humor and poignancy come out of the situation and the outrageousness of the Armand character (Albin/Zaza in the French). In "The Birdcage," it's played for comedy all the way. That's okay. You'll still enjoy it. But see the original.

This film has the distinction of being quite possibly the funniest film that I've ever seen. I remember seeing this film the night it opened and laughing so hard that my friend told me she'd get up and leave me there if I didn't shut up!

Almost everyone I've talked to over the years swears by how hysterical this film is. There is a reason for that: Nathan Lane. This guy is a comic genius. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance but should have been nominated for an Academy Award as well if you ask me. Originally when I first saw it, I didn't care for Robin Williams' character at all but the more I've seen it over the years (over fifty times) it grows on me. Dianne Wiest is her normal, ditzy self but is a scream here and Gene Hackman in that last scene...well, I don't want to give away anything.

Half of the fun of this film is the verbal repartee between the characters, especially anything between Hank Azaria, Nathan Lane or Dianne Wiest.

If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself to just have fun and laugh the night away. Enjoy it!!!

My rating: 4 stars

My mother loved this movie because of Williams. We would watch from time to time. She passed 5 yrs ago and I watched for first time since then. It's still funny and Nathan Lane is fantastic.

When I read a few of the user comments on the site, I noticed one thing was missing: Hank Azaria. He really made the movie what it is. It's a funny movie in general, but he really makes it funny. This movie is one of his very best performances.

Siskel and Ebert are crackups, panning The Birdcage as an unnecessary remake of La Cage aux Folles. Well(!) . . . I'm a 'Murican and I ain't seen that French movie. So there!

But I'm well-acquainted with this movie and I think it's pretty great. Every actor here is perfect for their role; somehow Robin Williams is the serious one while Nathan Lane goes full drama queen (no pun intended) ; Gene Hackman is the ideal stick-up-his-ass Republican; and then there's Hank Azaria's flamboyant housekeeper, seemingly always around to make the situation worse. Everyone here is hysterical. The message of acceptance is timeless, the tone is just right, and it's (most importantly) just damn funny.

If it weren't for the fact this movie has as its world a gay nightclub and gay men, it could have starred Cary Grant and been one of those wacky comedies of the forties. This is absolutely a hoot. To start with, you have Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, two of the most amazing, on their feet comedians ever. Throw in the plot of "if we could pull this off for one night," and everything else is up for grabs. The dialogue is excellent with all its double entendres and dramatic irony. We have the Senator, thoroughly enjoying himself, without realizing he is flirting with a man, and everything else relating to that. Of course, there is constant backtracking and improvisation. You have to laugh.

I love Robin Williams work. Always have and always will. This was yet another proof of his brilliance and comedic skills and I watched it to honour his memory.

Beside Williams, there were a lot of recognizable names and they all did a splendid job. The acting of Hank Azaria (Friends, Mad About You, America's Sweethearts, Smurfs) alone is worth 10 stars, but the plot made me a bit sad and angry, and you'll know which scenes I mean.

This was the first time I noticed Nathan Lane's brilliance. The comedic skill and acting is great and so so funny! I don't want to spoil anything, I just want everybody to watch this movie because it'll make you laugh so loud so many times.

Gene Hackman (Superman, Wyatt Earp), Christine Baranski (Mamma Mia), Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Dianne Weist (Footloose, Edward Scissorhands) and Dan Futterman (Judging Amy) were all great choices to this movie and I'm so glad that I finally saw it.

Granted The Birdcage isn't perfect, it is a little too long and the ending came across as rather sudden, but I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. It looks good, has a nice soundtrack, has a (I think) terrific script, good pacing, a fun story and above-decent direction from Mike Nichols. As for favourite scenes, there are some great scenes, but who can forget the dinner scene? The whole film is worth watching just for that scene for so many reasons. And the acting I had no problem with whatsoever. Robin Williams underplays but still delivers the laughs solidly, while Gene Hackman proves he is great as a comic actor. Dianne Wiest, Calista Flockhart and Hank Azaria also give terrific turns, however it is Nathan Lane's hilarious turn as Albert that steals the show. All in all, this is very good and very funny and charming. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I have heard from people over the years that "The Birdcage" is a good film and I thought it did fairly well at the box office. So I was hoping I would like it, and I wanted to like it... but I just can't bring myself to find a lot of redeeming qualities in this film.

What we have is a gay couple (Nathan Lane and Robin Williams) who have a grown son, and he is engaged to the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of a powerful conservative senator (Gene Hackman). When the senator gets invited to dinner, things get a little silly.

First, the nicest thing I can say is that the film is like a backwards version of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" because the socially acceptable people are entering the home of the social outcasts. But a backwards film exists already called "Guess Who", and I don't want to touch that. But anyway, in this context I guess the idea was alright.

Hank Azaria is also decent as the very flamboyant male maid (dressed more like a cabana boy). Any other actor doing this and I think the part would have been going over the top (as much of this film does), but Azaria is the kind of guy who makes over the top seem normal. And Calista Flockhart looks about as attractive as she ever could in this movie, which is the nicest thing I can say about her poor acting and usually poor screen presence.

The over-the-topness ruins some of what this film was trying to do, because it makes gays out to be extremely unlike other people, which I don't generally think is true. So if we are supposed to get a feel for gay lifestyles, why not make one more realistic? And the senator is just as cliché as a conservative senator (though I think he might be closer to reality than Nathan Lane is).

But worst of all about this film is the way the families interact. It is unbelievable and becomes more and more so as the film goes on. I know this is a comedy, but there were many key life lessons and dramatic scenes that were just completely defecated upon because the film put comedy and weak writing in places we absolutely did not need it.

This film fails, but as least it has Gene Hackman... the only reason I didn't give it less than a 5.

I've watched this movie countless times and never get bored. It provides sheer entertainment and some of the best one-liners I've heard in a movie. It is equal opportunity in its derogatory remarks and racism, and that's part of the charm. People get too worked up over stereotypes and "being offended" but they shouldn't -- this is a movie, not a political commentary. The actors have done a superb job of creating humour out of an awkward situation -- two men who happen to be gay, live together, own a business and must "play it straight" for the benefit of their son's in-laws.

I think I understand why the critical review has been mediocre -- it's likely because critics keep comparing 'The Birdcage' with the original 'La Cage Aux Folles'. I wish critics would rate a movie for what it is, and not for what it compares to. 'The Birdcage' as a stand-alone movie is witty, funny, silly, and entertaining. And that's what makes it so enjoyable! It's one of my favourite comedies and I can watch it over and over again.

First off; I can understand why people would dislike this movie; The characters are all portrayed in an extremely stereotypical way, the acting is considerably over the top most of the time, the story is rather cheesy and not very believable - I mean which gay couple would (or COULD) transform their eccentric home into a monastery-like environment in 24 hours to pretend to be a cultured family to impress the son's fiancée's parents?

...Yet I couldn't stop laughing all the way through, even after the 10th time. Why? It's BECAUSE the characters are so stereotypical, it's BECAUSE the acting is over the top, it's BECAUSE the whole thing is so unbelievable that it makes it scintillating to behold. Even though the characters are stereotypical, the script has obviously been written by someone who doesn't intend to contribute to the stereotypical view of the gay drag community, but who rather wanted to create characters that are lovable while at the same time shouting "don't take us seriously".

This isn't a movie portraying life in the gay society; and everyone who expects realistic (and hence probably rather unfunny) portrayal of such a theme is better off NOT watching a comedy featuring gays (don't most comedies thrive on making the stereotype seem funny?) It may not be politically correct all the way, but hey; society's too hung up on all this political correctness as it is,. The characters in this movie were lovable, perhaps BECAUSE they were stereotypical depictions. However they're brought to life so well by the actors playing them that it doesn't make you shake your head in frustration over yet ANOTHER movie portraying stereotypes, but rather makes you shake your head in laughter over the deadpan things they say and do, which are so obviously unreal at times that anyone who thinks this movie will promote a false picture of the gay community needs a reality check.

The script is amazing, and even though it may really be too over the top once in a while, it doesn't distract from the overall picture. The story isn't much; the focus on details is what makes this movie funny. Little gestures, frowns, face expressions and little subtleties make this movie one of the best comedies I have ever watched, and probably one of the best comedies I will ever be fortunate enough to see in my entire life. Contrary to what it may seem like at first sight, the humor is overly refined without being intellectual, instead of jumping in your face all the time.

What's more, the cast is great. Both Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are very fine comedians who have the touch it takes to play a role like this one. They make over-the-top stereotypes actually FUNNY, instead of just laughable.

And yes, I HAVE seen the original movie, not all too long ago actually, and I have to say the remake is twenty to the power of 99 times better than the original. I barely laughed, and the original version was in my eyes an utterly forgettable movie. And that coming from a person who usually hates remakes.

This movie gives the original "Birdcage" a fresh new shine and transports the story into the 90's. Well made, on all accounts, I can't think of a single criticism!

The Birdcage (1996)

Well, there is always something great about a Mike Nichols film, and this one, written and directed by Nichols, is no exception. It is however a story that has had better presentations (see below) and I'm not sure why Nichols opted for such an un-original material. The movie really is great in some ways, and has terrific moments, but it doesn't transcend, as the best Nichols films certainly do.

Robin Williams, the apparent big name on the marquee, is the weakest link in the cast (not including the two young people, who are fine but routine). But the rest of the main actors, Nathan Lane as the drag queen most of all, but Gene Hackman as a conservative senator and Dianne Wiest as his wife, are an amazing ensemble. Throw in consistently funny and clever writing (a functioanl adaptation), good camera-work, obviously attractive sets (this is South Beach in Miami), and a lively soundtrack and you sort of can't go far wrong.

Is it brilliant? No way. It doesn't need to be. It's got jokes that will fade with time, topical references and timely jabs, but overall it's just perky and funny top to bottom. And relentlessly. And yes, it pushes its point hard, about how we're all people and relationships are relationships, and that's where the comedy matters, making sure you don't take the delivery too seriously. If you have doubts that it's a farce with a silver lining, just wait until you see Gene Hackman at the end.

You might argue that the social message is all that matters, and of course that's true to some ways of thinking (and in some camps of criticism), but that would limit the point of the whole affair. And as time goes on and people get more used to the idea of gay culture and gay people as just another aspect of life, well, the sensational aspects of the movie will water down.

But that's fine. Besides being inevitable, it points to the other parts of the film, the Shakespearean cross-dressing, the play on identities, the constant repartee. It's funny and fun and yet smart, too. The plot, at its core, is an Americanized version of the original French play (from 1973) La Cage aux Folles (which means roughly "Cage of Drag Queens" if you take into account the slang for folles). And there is of course the famous two versions of the Broadway musical version (the 1983 and 2004 versions, not to mention the current one which started in 2010). It's a great story with a long life, clearly. And the playful interaction of the ensemble is perfect for the stage.

Yet this isn't the play nor the musical, but the film, with a new name. And the photographic aspects are pretty wonderful, too. Take just the opening shot coming in on a helicopter over the water and seamlessly (almost, there's a frame or two glitch) gliding right into the night club, The Birdcage. And if you don't think the story has legs, there is a 1978 Italian version of the play (not the musical) on film. The advantage of the American version for American audiences is the references are still slightly recognizable (the Bob Dole comments are already seeming like history, however).

Anyway, don't see this for Robin Williams. He's fine, but not the crackup fast talker that he's best at. And it isn't him, but Nathan Lane, who gets to cross-dress. Fabulously. You'll see.

"The Birdcage" is a hilarious movie about a happily "married" gay couple, forced to play straight for the marriage for Armond's son and his conservative in-laws. Even though it is a bit stereotypical, it was played with charm and energy and is absolutely irresistible. I really enjoyed "The Birdcage" because it had a lot of serious issues, yet managed to turn into a fun joke. We take the politic stand on gay marriages so seriously, that I think this was needed just for a good laugh at it.

Nathan Lane and Robin Williams, what terrific performances! Again, I know it was stereotypical, but I have a couple friends that do actually act like that. So, I was more than willing to go with it. I loved the whole Nathan being the Mom dinner scene. It was just too hard not to laugh. I am little surprised by the rating of 6.5. I think people should see this film and just have a good time with it. Trust me, it's just a fun movie and it's not offensive in any way.

10/10

Not many gay-themed movies get mainstream releases (because they're generally boring and predictable) but thanks to a stellar cast and a truly funny script, 'The Birdcage' certainly got what it deserved.

I generally don't enjoy gay-themed movies for their predictability - or comedies for that matter - but I absolutely loved 'The Birdcage'. Robin Williams stars as cabaret club owner Armand, who - together with his life partner Albert (excellently portrayed by Nathan Lane) - live a flamboyant lifestyle. When Armand's son, Val (Dan Futterman) is about to get married to a conservative senator's daughter, though, their lives are about to change - with hilarious consequences!

'The Birdcage' is laugh-out-loud funny - thanks also to the brilliant cast. Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria (as their houseboy Agador) are hysterical!! And Robin Williams is a feast for the eyes with that hairy chest, which he loves flaunting to absolutely no complaints from my side!

I loved the characters, the premise, the script, the fantastic performances, and the set design. This is undoubtedly one of my favourite gay-themed movies, as well as one of my favourite comedies. It's absolutely fabulous, darling!!

I saw "The Birdcage" because I'd already seen "La Cage aux Folles." And I thought this one was a great remake, if not better. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane give hilarious performances as the lead couple. I haven't seen "La Cage" in ages, but there were tidbits in "The Birdcage" that I remembered from the original. Of all American remakes of French movies, this is by far my favorite!

I remember thinking that Dan Futterman was quite attractive in this film as the young "Val", but boy does his turn out to be one of the most selfish and thoughtless of characters! He turns up at the eponymous nightclub run by his father "Armand" (Robin Williams) and his consort of twenty years "Albert" (Nathan Lane) to announce he is to wed. Thing is, he is going to marry the daughter of the rather puritanical senator "Keeley" (Gene Hackman) and so they are going to have to play happy, heterosexual, families when the prospective in-laws come to visit. "Armand" manages his disappointment rather better than his lover who, inclined to the histrionic at the best of times, takes it as all as a personal slight and a mega-strop ensues. Meantime, the worthy senator gets some shocking news of his own involving a colleague and a hooker! Suddenly he needs to get away, and so to the "Birdcage" he, wife "Louise" (Dianne Wiest) and intended bride "Barbara" (Calista Flockhart) duly head. The press get wind of this, and of the fact that it's a fairly ostentatious gay club - and so are just praying to get some snaps of this visit. Can the family stay on a even keel long enough for the estranged mother "Katherine" (Christine Baranski) to arrive, and can they manage to avoid implicating the holier-than-thou politician in the mother of all scandals? Time hasn't been especially kind to this, but Williams and an excellently hammy Nathan Lane do well keeping the momentum going as we to and fro with tantrums a-plenty. Weist and Hackman work well too, but the starring role has to belong to Hank Azaria's camp "Agador" who takes crop-tops to an whole new level. Jean Pouret's original play was written with it's tongue in it's cheek and this updates, but essentially carries on, the tradition of light farce. Stereoptypes galore? Yep, but they're still fun performances that are worth a watch.

This movie is one of the best. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are phenomenal and hilarious, but the best performance throughout the film is by Hank Azaria, as Agador, the adorable flaming butler. My favorite scene is when both families are sitting together eating dinner. I don't want to give anything away, but wow I was in tears. Gene Hackman is extremely funny as a conservative senator. This film is colorful, unique and will keep an audience roaring with laughter. Yes, the movie follows some typical stereo types among a gay male couple, however, is not offensive in anyway, shape or form. I think this is such a cute film, and if you haven't seen it, or if you happen to be in the mood for a laugh out loud movie rent The Birdcage.

My Rating: 9/10

... but there's a real dip where the fun stops, and it just starts to drag (no pun intended!) and actually becomes boring.

A decent bit of editing down to about 90 minutes would have benefitted it immensely.

So a case of nearly there, but not quite.

From what I remember of the original, even though the characters are unbelievable, they aren't that annoying. In this film everyone is unpleasant. But Dan Futterman's Val wins the honor as being one of the most unpleasant characters I have ever seen. Why anyone would put up with his petulant demands, is beyond me. I know that there wouldn't be much of a movie otherwise, but in the French film, I don't remember the son being that much of a baby. The film, itself, is an exercise in predictability. I'm a fan of farce but when it is this labored and unfunny, it can become tiresome. I have never quite got Mike Nichols' films, so that may have something to do with it and I think that Robin Williams is vastly overrated as an actor and I think that also has a lot to do with the fact that I don't like this film.