Riggan: I'm the answer to a fucking Trivial Pursuit question!
Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Alejandro González Iñárritu 2014
*SPOILER ALERT! DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE!*
I’m still feeling ambivalent about this.
I liked it at the beginning -- funny and heart-wrenching at the same time. But I think that’s mainly because Michael Keaton’s performance was superb and it was so easy to relate to. Or maybe I can personally relate to his artistic dilemma and his downright narcissism. The problem starts towards the end when things become more and more absurd and cheesy and tiny side stories start building up with nowhere to go. What happened to the lesbian tension between the two actresses? Why is no one talking about what Mike did with Riggan’s daughter?
The whole ambiguity about whether or not he actually has super powers isn’t clever too. It’s downright annoying. It begs the question as to why he didn’t just pursue being an actual proper super hero in the first place. It definitely fits his megalomaniac profile. Plus if he really flew across the city to the theater, why isn’t there any buzz about it? Why didn’t anyone Tweet it? They made a lot of buzz when he was running in his tighty whities. But Birdman actually properly flying is a gossip columnist’s dream come true. (And don’t tell me no one saw him because no one looks up at the sky anymore goddammit.)
So let’s say he actually just went down the building and took a cab. Does that mean he actually jumped to his death at the end of the movie? What’s that thing with his daughter looking up and laughing then?
Okay. You know what, it’s okay to be ambiguous about that. Fine, don’t tell the audience whether or not he actually has super powers, but don’t give mixed signals for the sheer heck of it either.
The lines also become more and more cringeworthy by the second. I feel embarrassed just hearing the stuff they had to spew out of their mouths. Namely, “People, they love blood. They love action. Not this talky, depressing, philosophical bullshit.” Ugh. I literally had to pause and take a break because it felt so embarrassing to watch!
All in all, many of the jokes are too private, too many loose ends were left untied, and the lines were too cheesy.
Also, three “faux” suicide attempts is too much for a movie, let alone for the last half hour of a movie! I probably would’ve loved Birdman if Riggan fell to his death on his first jump. Although tragic, that would’ve been a perfect, logical, and satisfying end.
I suppose this is the kind of movie that you either love or hate, but right now I’m in between. Maybe I’ll watch it someday to pick a side. Or not.
If you’d like to see it for yourself, get it on DVD here: Birdman Or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance
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