First off, this movie is not about Harvey Birdman Attorney at law (This writer may or may not have thought that it was a movie about him) or the southern rapper. This movie is about former action star (Played by Michael Keaton) who used to play a major superhero in the movies in the 80's (Get the joke yet?). Let's start off like this; this writer had no idea what the movie was about. Only that Michael Keaton was in it so that was enough. So when the first scene is Michael Keaton meditating in his tightie whities and floating in the air like Dhalsim from Street Fighter and talking to himself in a very deep and heroic type voice. Wait, what? Sir, "You had my curiosity, now you have my interest." All in, let's do this. Show this writer what you got. The credits rolled and wow. This movie was a ten out of ten and here is why.
Besides the fact that he is obviously playing himself (Keaton is sometimes referred to as the best movie Batman), he showed how an aging (or aged) actor who was once a sought after movie star might react to not being so looked for anymore. Michael Keaton plays Riggan who used to play "Birdman" and is now looking for a way to cope with not, for the lack of a better term, being the man anymore. So he writes, directs, and stars in a Broadway play called "What we Talk about, When we Talk about Love". In what appears to be the first real practice for the show and Riggan hates his costar. All of a sudden a falling object injures the supporting character and now Riggan needs to replace him. As Keaton walks away and hears that voice again. He's saying that he knows that they (Him and the voice in his head) made that happen.
Later, his lawyer and best friend (Played by Zach Galifianakis) comes in to tell him that the actor is going to sue for the injury he sustained and that he needs to replace him and that a answer isn't going to just knock on the door. As soon as that sentence ends, one of the other actresses in the play knocked on the door and told them that a well known actor by the name of Mike Shiner (played by Edward Norton) wants to replace the injured co-star. After Riggan ran a few lines with him, Shiner is hired. Riggan's assistant and daughter Sam (played by Emma Stone) brings Mike to get fitted and as they are walking to the fitting area he tells her she has a nice @$$. Shiner is a complete jack-ass the whole time he's getting fitted, but this doesn't phase Sam who responds to all of his remarks with snappy retorts of her own.
Michael Keaton:
This movie is absolutely amazing. One of the best movies of the year and deserving of all of the accolades it has been receiving. Some actors get old and try to out act their co-stars because they are threatened that they are getting old and need to feel relevant again. That is the role that Keaton plays in this. The guy who was on top of the world as it now. Keaton doesn't overact (although his character does while in the play) in an attempt to outshine anyone. He just goes out there and puts on one hell of a performance. Was Riggan crazy and the voices he was hearing weren't there? Or did he really move these objects with his telekinesis? Not only does he pull off the maybe he's crazy and maybe he isn't, but when it came down to really showing the audience what it looks like to put your heart and sol into a project and people just believe you are going to fail or are going to ruin you because of who you are, he knocks it out the park.
Zach Galifianakis:
It was refreshing seeing Zach Galifianakis play a role that didn't involve him being the wacky and overly dumb lovable guy who desperately needs a friend. Zach Galifianakis has lost a ton of weight which keep him from being type casted as the fat friend and though he didn't have a ton of scenes in this movie, he showed that he was more than just a one trick pony. He didn't play an overly serious role he played a normal person. He played a guy who cared about his friend and didn't want him to fail. Sometimes he had to lie to him to keep him going and sometimes he had to give him the truth. This is hopefully the start of something new for him.
Emma Stone and Edward Norton:
Emma Stone plays Sam. Riggan's daughter, assistant, and former drug addict. She plays the role of an angry actor's daughter who filled the empty hole left by not having a father always there with drugs. A pretty cliché role, but a role she portrayed great nonetheless. There was a scene in the middle of the movie where Sam dishes out a reality check to her dad. It was the perfect combination of the movie writer writing the perfect monologue and Stone delivering it perfect. Doesn't matter who you are, when you see what she had to say, it is going to sting a bit.
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Edward Norton puts on his normal near flawless performance (when is he ever bad in anything?). Shiner plays the arrogant actor who just feels that he can do no wrong. From the very beginning of the movie, he plays someone you aren't supposed to like. Especially in the scene where he and Riggan go to the bar for the first time. The weird part is that even when he's a grade A a-hole, Shiner will turn around and do something noble because he feel it's the right thing to do. Personally, that's not what made him stand out. It was the scenes with him and Emma Stone. Yes, his scenes with him being a tool are hilarious, but the sentimental scenes are very moving. He admits why he is the way he is and is only vulnerable around her. The two characters shared a bond that was sweet and touching.
Rating: 10 out of 10
Perfect movie. It doesn't get overly dramatic, there are moments everyone can relate to, and the every one of the actors in this movie were absolutely amazing. A movie that was a little under two hours and didn't feel like it dragged on. The best part was the way the movie was shot. The camera followed the cast around so the transition from scene to scene was very smooth. There was maybe four moments where the movie faded to black to get to the next scene. It just followed the people to get to the next part.
