Movie Review: "Birdman"

Birdman:

Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Directed by: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone

Rated: R for language throughout, some sexual content, and brief violence

Famous (now Oscar-winning) director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has always made a cannon of films that depicts man's struggle for meaning, and his latest film Birdman is no exception. From washed action star Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) who is trying to find purpose in his life by producing and starring in a critically acclaimed play, to his drug-rehabbed daughter (Emma Stone) who is trying find a reason why her life is better without her addiction, to his leading actress (Naomi Watts) who believes this play will make her finally feel validity and happiness, to the critically-acclaimed actor (Edward Norton) who has lost all identity in life outside of who he is on stage, this film is nothing but a search for meaning and identity.  It's so heavy handed on the nihilism that, at one point, Riggan's daughter yells at him "You're doing this because you're scared to death, like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what? You're right. You don't. It's not important. You're not important. Get used to it."  That might as well be the tagline of the movie.

The film is technically brilliant, where scenes flow as one massive take, as if we're watching the most advanced theatrical play of all time.  The script, albeit harsh and R-rated, is well crafted.  And the performances, especially Michael Keaton's, are simply fantastic, making it one of the best ensemble pieces of the year.  Yet, it was still hard for me to appreciate anything beyond that; everything's so over-the-top nihilistic that you don't care about anything because the film tells you there's no reason to care about anything.  I was even a little relieved as the credits rolled; they were, by far, the most uplifting moments of the film.