Why Did Everyone Love "Birdman"?
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| Birdman (2014) |
Everyone adored Birdman when it came out. People ranted and raved excitedly about how deep and meaningful it was, they dragged my expectations higher and higher, and then when I finally took the time to watch it I left with a sense of dread. Pardon my language, but this film was the most masturbatory piece of art I have seen in a long time, and I find myself convinced that it was mistaken for something greater by critics and fans due to the fact that it was highly stylized (through careful editing the entire film is made to appear as if it all takes place in one seamless take) and featured some decent performances given by well-liked and well-known actors who already have fan bases ready to support whatever they do, even if it's as bad as Birdman.
While I'll admit there were aspects of Birdman which grabbed my attention and almost swept me up in its stylized beauty, specifically the soundtrack which consists only of drums, there's only so much a film can do in terms of style to mask its message of vanity. The entirety of the film is, in essence, celebrities complaining about the struggles which accompany being famous in some vain effort at screeching "see, we're just like you!" which only serves to further alienate its audience as all the differences between performer and consumer are made increasingly clear.
The film follows an actor who was once famous for his big budget blockbuster superhero movies, only to find himself depressed when he's too old to act in that same genre and instead performs in theatre to try and fill the void in his heart. Birdman doesn't celebrate the beauty of acting or the guts and pain it takes to survive in the film industry, instead it whines about how hard it is to have to evolve with people's tastes in order to carry on being successful at doing what you love.
While it may sound hypocritical of me to complain about the film's cynical nature given my adoration for movies such as There Will Be Blood which are anything but inspirational, I found the particular brand of cynicism in Birdman to be grating and similar to watching a young teenager complain about how challenging life is for them when they are yet to step out into the real world and see how difficult it actually can be.
The worst part is, I tried to like Birdman, I really did. It seemed to have all the components of the sort of film I would actually enjoy, but they were used in such a clumsy and desperate effort at being artsy that it just came across as needy and pretentious. Still, I understand the controversy of this opinion, and I am curious to hear from those of you who were moved and awed by this film from start to finish. Please, feel free to tell me why Birdman is such a big deal.
While I'll admit there were aspects of Birdman which grabbed my attention and almost swept me up in its stylized beauty, specifically the soundtrack which consists only of drums, there's only so much a film can do in terms of style to mask its message of vanity. The entirety of the film is, in essence, celebrities complaining about the struggles which accompany being famous in some vain effort at screeching "see, we're just like you!" which only serves to further alienate its audience as all the differences between performer and consumer are made increasingly clear.
The film follows an actor who was once famous for his big budget blockbuster superhero movies, only to find himself depressed when he's too old to act in that same genre and instead performs in theatre to try and fill the void in his heart. Birdman doesn't celebrate the beauty of acting or the guts and pain it takes to survive in the film industry, instead it whines about how hard it is to have to evolve with people's tastes in order to carry on being successful at doing what you love.
While it may sound hypocritical of me to complain about the film's cynical nature given my adoration for movies such as There Will Be Blood which are anything but inspirational, I found the particular brand of cynicism in Birdman to be grating and similar to watching a young teenager complain about how challenging life is for them when they are yet to step out into the real world and see how difficult it actually can be.
The worst part is, I tried to like Birdman, I really did. It seemed to have all the components of the sort of film I would actually enjoy, but they were used in such a clumsy and desperate effort at being artsy that it just came across as needy and pretentious. Still, I understand the controversy of this opinion, and I am curious to hear from those of you who were moved and awed by this film from start to finish. Please, feel free to tell me why Birdman is such a big deal.
I liked it a lot, and I think it did a good job of depicting a mental breakdown, not just some privileged dude whining. For example I liked how the score and the one-take gimmick made me feel anxious and like time was a huge blur. The acting and comedic timing were also great, particularly Edward Norton. I did hate the ending though.
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