Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Birdman follows Riggan Thomson, a washed-up actor best known for playing a comic-book superhero, as he gambles everything on a Broadway adaptation he’s written, directed and is starring in to prove he’s a serious artist. As previews toward opening night unfold, Riggan wrestles with a last-minute casting crisis that brings in the mercurial star Mike Shiner, tensions with his recovering daughter and assistant Sam, the pressure of a feared New York Times critic, and legal and personal obstacles that threaten to derail the show. All the while Riggan is haunted by the voice and presence of his old Birdman persona, a hallucinatory chorus that exposes his insecurities and blurs the line between reality and performance. Watching the film is a sharp, darkly comic and emotionally raw experience: you’ll laugh at the absurdity of theatrical ego, wince at public humiliation, and feel real sympathy for a man trying to reclaim meaning in midlife. The movie’s restless energy and surreal moments keep the stakes urgent and unpredictable, making opening night feel like a performance of both art and survival.

Actors: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Runtime: 119 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama

87 /100 7.7 /10 8.2 /10