Fox Searchlight

R 119 min

Ok I've been anxiously anticipating this one for a long time.

From NIGHT SHIFT to JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY to MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTING to BEETLEJUICE to BATMAN and beyond Michael Keaton has always been one of my favorites.

Keaton perfect blend of charisma and chops kept him in lead roles in a variety of a lot of fine movies.

Still in Hollywood like a lot of businesses the rule is what have you done for me lately? His biggest box office was as Bruce Wayne and the Batman in the Tim Burton series. When Joel Schumacher took over the direction Keaton bowed out apparently fearing that Schumacher would take the franchise in a less serious direction. And he did. But still it's been nearly 20 years since he's had a big hit. I don't know if BIRDMAN will be that hit because of its quirky nature and the fact that the studio has been dicking around with promotion and release.

First let's talk about the films eclectic angles. This is one of those plays about the theater and in an odd way the story cannibalizes the story (if that makes sense). It's probably autobiographical to a point and concerns Riggan Thompson (Keaton) who walked away from an extremely successful superhero franchise, Birdman, and many years later is eager to prove his relevance by starring in his own adaptation on Broadway. (Was Keaton selected because of the Batman parallel? Or coincidence?)

You will notice a couple personality flaws with Riggan, though it's hard to make someone as charismatic as Keaton completely unsympathetic. First of all it seems he's been an arrogant prick his entire career and now thinks he's much more talented than he probably really is. He's neglected his family and friends and is now acting like a diva as he belittles the other actors in his play. The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind when his insistence upon better actors brings him the renowned Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), who is even more arrogant and condescending than himself.

Roggan’s other personally flaw is that he's apparently losing his mind. He hears voices mocking him and his career and those voices come from the imaginary, well probably imaginary, Birdman. Oh and real or imagined bouts of telekinesis.

So floating around in the sewer of self-doubt, bad relationships, confusion and delusion is the fact that New York's most influential critic plans on destroying his play without even seeing it just for spite.

What I loved about Birdman is the insider look at Broadway and live acting featuring some of the most precise and accurate repartee you will see in a film. Keaton and Norton are tremendous together.

(Also I was just at the Majestic Theater a couple weeks ago to see Phantom of the Opera and it really was fun since its entire film was shot right in that neighborhood.)

One small down side was the fact that they took what I'd expected to be a deadly serious climax and lightened it up just too much. I won't spill the beans but fortunately, or unfortunately, it only cost a half letter.

Finally I wonder about the promotion and release. I'm hoping the studio expects Academy Award nominations and is holding Birdman out of general release until the Oscar nominations are announced. I hope it draws a lot of attention, Keaton deserves it.

A-

WSS