Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance,
based on the play by Raymond Carver
Nine out of
10
The 2015
Winner of the Academy Awards for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement
in Directing, Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in
Cinematography and an outstanding other one hundred and ninety six prizes has
caused more than a sensation, a furor.
Yet, it is not
so easy to watch, take in, be entertained throughout the one hundred and
nineteen minutes of a complex, challenging, intriguing, satirical, thought
provoking, out of the ordinary, less popular with audiences than with critics
motion picture.
Indeed,
Birdman and other spectacular features like it are one of the main reasons why
the Oscar Ceremonies have reached record lows in ratings, making producers
think about solutions, which have caused controversy with the idea of
introducing an Academy Award for…Most Popular Film.
Birdman is spectacular
not in special effects – although it has some, from the first few moments when
the hero is levitating, to the moments when the Fantastic Beast he used to portray
flies in the sky and attacks the city- or the thrilling action that does not
include car chases, Mission Impossible and so on.
Indeed, the
feature mocks the mega productions that dominate the box office, perhaps –
surely in the opinion of the under signed – wastes so much talent on what is ultimately
a neuron depleting series of Avengers, Cartoon Characters and Fast and Furious
People Forever and Ever…
Michael Keaton
– who should have been awarded the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a
Leading Role, even if Eddie Redmayne was remarkable in The Theory of
Everything, for the younger actor has enough time to win the statuette, while
the older artist might not have this chance again- gives a splendid performance
as the hero, actor Riggan Thomson.
The hero
has been Birdman, in a super production made twenty years ago, and he now tries
art for a change, as the director, actor, writer and co-producer ( with his friend,
agent Jake aka the formidable Zach Galifianakis) of an adaptation of the
masterpiece What We Talk About When We Talk About Love – reviewed here:
The efforts
of the writer-actor-director-producer are plagued by many obstacles, adversities,
starting with the injury of an actor that has to abandon the play, threatening
to sue and bringing a lawyer to the premiere of the production.
The finances
of the project are also shaky, to say the least, and it may be a failed attempt
on account of the critics, given that the most important one of them, Tabitha,
the one who writes for The New York Times and whose chronicle seems to be the
one that makes or breaks a play, would threaten to bury Birdman and his
enterprise.
Mike aka
the outstanding Edward Norton arrives on the set, to replace the injured actor
and his appearance bodes well on some levels – ticket sales have doubled since
his name has been associated with the premiere – but presents difficulties and
challenges on other fronts.
He knows
the lines before joining the team, since he had rehearsed with another player,
Lesley aka Naomi Watts, with whom he lives, but he is a very demanding
performer, arrogant, self-absorbed, haughty, and excessive – like most actors? –
drinks real gin on the stage, as opposed to water, challenges and annoys the
director, even Lesley and creates havoc at times.
While acting,
he gets a big erection – he anyway pretends that he is “real, Truthful” when
acting, and he is not serious when he is a private person, although his
behavior is difficult to interpret and often hard to watch, which appears not
to offend or disturb Sam aka Emma Stone – a tad artificial, melodramatic.
Mike takes
the spotlight, annoying the much more important man in the whole project, the
writer-director-actor-producer who is angered by the interview given to the
press, in which the lesser player acts as if he is the center, core of the
whole endeavor and the others are there only to give him balls to play.
Tense,
preparing to go on stage, Riggan Thomson has a cigarette just outside the
Broadway Theater, in underwear and his bathrobe, when the door closes, the robe
is caught in between and in spite of all his efforts, the actor cannot release
it, furthermore, nobody hears his shouts.
This is the
scene that has been included in the trailer, most shared and used at the awards
and ceremonies related to The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, wherein the hero
abandons the bathrobe and walks fast through the New York street in white
drawers, while the fans recognize, try to stop, take photos of the famous star,
Birdman, whose videos would create a sensation.
Sam tells
him about the film that has an incredible number of viewers on the internet,
with the artist nearly running in white lingerie, trying to make it quickly to
the front door, where people try to stop him in the first place, and then on to
the stage.
Riggan comes
towards the stage from the back, walking through the audience, pointing his
finger at Mike and Lesley, for he is supposed to have a revolver for this
scene, but all he has now is his underwear…that does not stop a brilliant actor
from performing with magic and professionalism.
Birdman or
The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is a wonderful motion picture, naturally,
although not everyone would find it entertaining.
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