In birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance 2014 michael keaton plays riggan, a washedup actor who tries to reignite his acting career by starring in a broadway production. He used to be the star of a big superhero movie franchise, where he played a batmanlike character calledbirdman. The film stars michael keaton with a supporting cast of zach galifianakis, edward norton, andrea riseborough, amy ryan, emma stone, and naomi. I felt it and the film began to breathe by itself, and the characters began to. Thanks for a2a susan, sorry for delayed reply well so, heres my answer. The ending to birdman has been hotly debated since the oscarnominated film hit theaters last year. Birdman summary what we talk about when we talk about levitation. Birdman won the oscar for best picture after beating boyhood in a close race. Birdmans director alejandro gonzalez innaritu has explored the value of a meaningful life in another one of his awardwinning films biutiful. Birdman is rich with symbols that are intended to support the movies various themes, but for our purposes of unlocking the secret of the end, two.
Funny after what his inner birdman told him earlier in the movie, something along the lines of get some plastic surgery and shave off the pathetic goatee. It might even be more timely than it seems, as a story about an american trying to figure out whether to fight against a colossal threat, or even as a story about a bunch of people stuck. A washedup superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a broadway production. If youre still trying to figure out exactly what to make of the last shot of the film, youre not alone. While birdman has been praised by fans and critics alike, there is still one aspect of the movie that has left vast numbers of filmgoers utterly confused, the ending. This post contains spoilers about the end of birdman if youre still trying to figure out exactly what to make of the last shot in birdman, youve made its screenwriters very happy. Alejandro gonzalez inarritu and cowriter alexander dinelaris originally planned for the film to end where it started, but with johnny depp. Birdman, or lets talk about that ending the movie guys. And the screenplay seems, in part, an interesting view of actorly misconduct denier the rehearsals of a production. As michael keatons birdman lands on hbo, we look back on the oscar.
The flow and rhythm of the movie is simply splendid. The cinematography award went to the films director of photography, emmanuel lubezki, giving him a recordtying two oscars in a row in the cinematography category. Birdman is doing the unreal, and the movie goes into an ignorant realm. Birdman is one of the black comedy movies which has an ambiguous ending. The film ends on an ambiguous note after protagonist riggan thomson michael keaton lands in the hospital. The movie ends with sam watching who we presume to be her father riggan fly away superherostyle. That the central play depicted in the movie is based on the work of virtuosic short story writer raymond carver is added genius. Michael keaton with his unconventional performance is wow.
Theres a certain distance to it all now, a wistful distance, underscored by a gentle breeze and the sound of the birds, laughing at the whimsy of it. Birdman original motion picture soundtrack is the soundtrack for the 2014 film birdman. Above it all towers keaton, with a performance that is frequently nerveracking and at times even heartbreaking. Emmanuel lubezkis simulated onetake presentation should give viewers an appreciation. Riggan thompson was birdman, a crimestopping superhero with a beak and a threefilm franchise. If you find birdmans ambiguous ending a bit unsatisfying, join the club. Film analysis after watching birdman, the scene that was most powerful and significant, for me, was the ending of both the film and.
Movie endings explained birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance 2014 michael keaton, duration. Birdmans final shot has become one of the most talked about scenes this year. But the dude is now a washedup fiftysomething, trying to write, direct, and star in his own play. Notably, much of the film is shot and edited in such a way to appear that they were filmed in one shot. Birdman cowriter reveals that he originally planned to have johnny depp appear at.
In addition to hints that riggan is not entirely tapped into reality, the movie itself is filmed in a surrealistic way, from long, artful scenes filmed in a. Bathed in sunlight streaming in from an open window, he looks peaceful. Still, the technical achievement of this film is monumental, and the supporting cast is uniformly excellent. During his time at leavenworth penitentiary, he reared and sold birds and became a respected ornithologist, although regulations did not allow him to. In the movie birdman, what does the scene after riggan. Spoilers ahead the film soon reveals more plot context. I dont recommend reading this until after you have seen this fantastic film. It would, however, be uncharitable to simply describe birdman as a midlife crisis movie when the way this story has been put together is so unusual and laudable. The end could be a signal of not only birdman seeping into an ignorant state, but also the story. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor michael keaton famous for portraying an iconic superhero as he struggles to mount a broadway. By the end of this years academy awards, birdman winning best picture wasnt much of a surprise. In dinelaris view, the way the story ends is all about maintaining a sense of.
The movie, without giving too much away plot wise, seems to want to leave the audience with an optimistic ending. What happened at the end of birdman, alejandro gonzalez inarritus 2014 oscar winning movie. Birdman belittles riggan as soon as people leave the room, telling him what he should have said and should have done. The first time we see michael keaton in his tightywhities in birdman, its from behind.
Cinematographer emmanuel lubezki aimed high on birdman. It includes solo jazz percussion throughout the film and extended segments of classical music taken from various composers including mahler, ravel, rachmaninov, and john adams. Or the unexpected virtue of ignorance is a story about artistic frustration in an industry with the highest levels of arrogance. The movie shows the highs and lows of a particularly difficult day of rehearsals and. Playing with psychosis in birdman psychology today. The films ending also changed, the final version being written halfway through filming. In the playwithinafilm, the character of laura says the following line. The story follows riggan thomson keaton, a faded hollywood actor best known for playing the superhero birdman, as he struggles to.
Riggan is a former movie star, most famous for a trilogy of superhero films playing birdman. Designed to look like one long take though actually not, birdman keeps tight focus on the characters as they prepare to mount. Birdman wants to say something about humanity, stardom and the cultural genocide of superhero films. Everything you need to know about birdman movie 2014. The real meaning behind these confusing movie endings. If you have not seen birdman, and do not wish the ending to be ruined, then do not keep reading that being said, most people didnt understand the ending, so even if you read this, its probably not that big of a deal. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance tells the story of an actor michael keaton struggling to mount a serious play on broadway while his superhero identity haunts him. Birdman or commonly known simply as birdman, is a 2014 american black comedydrama film. Explanations to some of the most confusing movie endings. Original birdman ending had johnny depp pirates cameo b. And birdmana movie with a bird in the dang titleis no exception. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance 2014 imdb.
Birdman on dvd february 17, 2015 starring michael keaton, emma stone, naomi watts, zach galifianakis. Throughout the movie, ignorance is seen as a positive, largely attacking the thoughtprovoking aspects of life and theater, but birdman is always apart from the ignorance. The cinematography alone is brilliant, capturing the spirit behind the scenes at a broadway theatre. Birdman screenwriters discuss the films ambiguous ending. The cut after shooting himself at the end of the play is a cut in the timeline, a pseudo continuous timeline that symbolized reality. Sure, birdman is a comedy, inarritus first, telling the story of riggan thomson, a washedup former superhero actor trying to reclaim his prestige with a stage production based on a raymond. What are your views on the climax of the movie birdman 2014. Cinematographer emmanuel lubezki calls birdmans director, alejandro g.
The film also tackles depression, suicide, the culture of. Popularity is the slutty little cousin of prestige. Indeed, how fitting is it that this narrative mosaic now receives the. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance, commonly known simply as birdman, is a 2014 american black comedydrama film directed by alejandro g. Its been praised and broken down, dismissed and deemed a satire. Inarritu, a surgeon for the way he analyzes every part of the filmmaking process.
Birdman sidesteps the inside baseball stigma of most behind the scenes films by transcending being a story about fame or hollywood. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance plot. Earlier in the ceremony, it had already picked up oscars for best screenplay, best directing and best cinematography. Inarritus birdman, or the unexpected virtue of ignorance is a story about. The ploy is brilliantly narrated through the messed up head of riggan with glimpses from his past debacles, screenplay that makes you brood that often cross over for emphasis, an ever ending take that goes on till the climax, and a. Birdman, with its weird, ambiguous ending, is no exception. The upcloseand personal syncopated fever dream that was birdman is more than just a story about a hasbeens desire for reclamation. His character, a formerly highflying movie star, is sitting in the lotus position in his dressing room of a historic broadway theatre, only hes levitating above the ground. Robert franklin stroud january 28, 1890 november 21, 1963, known as the birdman of alcatraz, was a convicted murderer, american federal prisoner and author who has been cited as one of the most notorious criminals in the united states. Casablanca is a movie with a giant reputation that has lasted a remarkably long 77 years. Rather, it functions as a sobering meditation on the destructive.
By now, i am assuming most of you have seen birdman and, like me loved the film. The camerawork in birdman is an astonishment, and an argument that everything flows together, which in this movie means the cinematography, the story, the people, even time and space. Birdman is the winner of the 2015 academy award winner for best picture, best director, best original screenplay, and best cinematography and may have been an enormous hit with critics but thanks to a limited release, it has taken awhile for casual moviegoers to catch the film and form their own opinions. With michael keaton, zach galifianakis, edward norton, andrea riseborough. The flowing camera work, the raw, organic acting, the lighting and sets all come together to create a fast, smart, funny, electric film. The original ending of birdman featured johnny depp. Birdman stars michael keaton and emma stone the new.