BIRDMAN/ OR THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE


US, 2014, 119 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifiniakis, Amy Ryan, Lindsay Duncan.
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.


Well, this is not quite what many audiences might have been anticipating. And the trailer, while featuring many sequences, does not really indicate the content and tone of the film.


In one sense, this is a Broadway film, the putting on a play in New York’s theatre district, the problems, the emotions, casting difficulties, accidents, and the threat of a killing-review. But it is more than this, it is something of a portrait of a movie star, Riggan Thompson, who had succeeded 20 years earlier in an action-hero series, Birdman. He is trying to stage a comeback, having adapted a Raymond Carver story for the stage, directing and featuring himself. There are quotes from Carver at the beginning of the film and a final speech where the emphasis is on love.


One of the striking features of the film is that it has been designed with director and cinematographer to be completely continuous as if it were a one-take film. This is sometimes quite ingenious.


Riggan is played by Michael Keaton, and many people have been ready with the comment that Keaton himself played Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman and Batman Returns, 1989, 1991. In fact, Michael Keaton has had a successful career, moving into character roles. However, he was best known at the beginning of his career as being a zany comedian, although he has made a number of serious films, ranging from his alcoholic in Clean and Sober and his menacing landlord in Pacific Heights. So, for those familiar with Michael Keaton, there is a lot of baggage and background.


The action takes place over a couple of days, days of rehearsal and the opening night of the play. At first, disaster seems to loom as one of the main characters is injured by a falling property on stage. One of the stars, played by Naomi Watts, who has dreamt of being on Broadway suggests a very talented actor who could come in at short notice. He is played by Edward Norton, quite at tour-de-force performance as a wilful, self-absorbed actor, not embarrassed in creating stirs and upstaging people during rehearsals. And, in real life, he is much the same. Also in the play is Keaton’s girlfriend played by English actress Andrea Riseborough. There is an effective cameo, only in three scenes but quite moving, by Amy Ryan as Riggan’s ex-wife.


But, key to this story, is his daughter, Sam, out of rehabilitation for drug problems, loving him, critical of him, intrigued by the new actor, sympathetic towards the other members of the cast, dealing with her own problems. She is played by Emma Stone.


On the realistic level, the film could be very interesting for those who like the theatre, the putting on of the play, the staging and costumes, the details of the rehearsals and their problems, the build-up to the opening night along with episodes which seem to indicate that the opening night might never happen. One of the very effective episodes is the encounter with the New York journalist, who has power with her reviews to destroy plays and performances. She is played in two strong sequences by British actress, Lindsay Duncan.


But, the film is not realistic in the sense that the hero is psychologically disturbed, has had some drinking problems, relationship problems, artistic problems, and the continual wondering whether he can carry off the performance. So, to heighten atmosphere of surrealism, the director introduces a bird man in costume who is continually present to the actor by voice and sometimes physically, describing situations, taunting and challenging Riggan, questioning him as to the wisdom of his choices. Towards the end of the film, there is a completely surreal sequence where Birdman urges the hero to trust his powers, his seeming ability to cause an object to go up in flames, even to fly, which he does soaring over New York City. This is in contrast to the time when he goes out for a breather before his performance, wearing his underpants and a towel coat, only for the door to slam and his coat to get caught which means that he has to run through Times Square in his underwear, through the crowds many wanting an autograph.


It is significant that Michael Keaton is able to carry off all these sequences, the serious, the comic, the emotional, the emotionally blocked sequences as well as the fantasies.


The film was co-written and directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, a Mexican director, who made an impact with his Mexican film, Amores Perros, three stories set in the slums of Mexico City, in 2000. His subsequent films have been very varied in genres, generally praised: 21 Grams, the multi-storied Babel, Biutiful, about a dying man. So, he is an unpredictable in his work, choices,


But he is also quite unpredictable in this film, especially at the end of the premiere of the film and a final symbolic sequence which leaves audience opinions quite open. And it has the subtitle, which comes from the final review of the play by the reputation-killing critic, The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance.

1. Acclaim and awards?


2. The director and his career? Mexican background? Work in the United States?

3. The title, expectations? The subtitle ‘the unexpected virtue of ignorance’? Action heroes, popularity, Hollywood, the traditions?

4. The subtitle, its point, as quoted by the reviewer? The list cast and its quality?

5. New York City, the theatre, the Street and Broadway, the views, Times Square, flight over the city, the action on the roof? Atmosphere?

6. The musical score and its range?

7. The jokey allusions to show business, films, actors?

8. The technique, the impression of a continuous take, the transitions and editing, photography, the devices and their effect on the continuity?

9. The portrait of Riggan Thomson? Michael Keaton and his own career? Riggan and his career, being Birdman, popularity (and the Japanese response to Birdman IV, the request for autographs), the decline of his career, refusing Birdman IV, the collapse of his marriage, his relationship with his ex-wife, affairs, with the actress, his drinking? Relationship with his daughter, tensions? The condition of the psychological state, mind, imagination?

10. The actual Birdman and the costumes, the voice, his presence, haunting Riggan, the challenges, Riggan in himself? Real and unreal? Surreal? The destructive powers, the power of flight?

11. The quotes from Raymond Carver, Riggin and the play, adapting Carver, the text, the story, the quotations at the beginning of the film, Riggan and his speaking the lines? The reviewer and her comments?

12. The rehearsals, the accident, the actor being hit, Riggan in his room, looking into the mirror, introduction, coming down to perform, the two actresses, the crisis?

13. Leslie and her offer, Michael and his agreeing, knowing the play, quoting it, his performance? In himself, the relationship with Leslie? Seeing him on stage, aggression towards Riggan? The disruptions, anti-Riggan, violence, the critique, the arguments in the challenge? Going into the costume department, stripping, the effect on the cast? Different in rehearsals? The finale and his acclaim?

14. Leslie, her dream, the relationship with Michael, the rehearsals, discussions with Riggan, with Sam, her fears, her achievement?

15. Laura, in the play, the relationship with Riggan, at the rehearsals, exasperation with Riggan, saying she was pregnant, later denying it, the effect on him? Her love, critique? With Leslie, the discussions with Sam? The reaction to Riggan’s ex-wife? Support or not?

16. The agent, his character, best friend, urging Riggan on common issues of contracts, Michael and his contract, the backers, the growing exasperation, the accident, watching the rehearsals, his reactions, getting desperate?

17. Sam, as Riggan’s daughter, her life, drugs, addiction, relationship with the father, with her mother? Observing her father? On the roof with Michael, her advances? His resistance and reasons? Watching the play? At the end, with her father, at the window?

18. The critic, at the bar, her writing, her threats, animosity, at the play, her favourable review?

19. Riggan going outside, the coat catching in the door, running in his underpants, the fans, asking for autographs, photos? His return, walking through the theatre, onto the stage? The drama of the finale – in the light of the audience having seen it in dress rehearsal? The acclaim for his performance? His self-image, the gun, shooting his nose? Audience expectations about the shooting, his nose, in the hospital, his ex-wife, Sam? Reading the reviews, success?

20. The aftermath, the window, Birdman present again? The symbolic flight and ending? Uncertainty for the audience – but open to possibilities?