# "Birdman" (new Michael Keaton film) OPEN SPOILERS **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507 "2014-11-03T13:07:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/41 "2015-03-02T07:06:56Z")
It’s interesting because it does seem to be a love/hate movie. I won’t pretend the division is right down the middle: it’s at least 75% on the love side, but the hate side does include some respected film reviewers\* I’m on hate, I’m afraid. And I saw it before the oscars and much of the hype. This is an example of the level of humour: “Hey, come on, he’s not _that_ bad an actor…” \ “Ok, his acting’s terrible” \ And that kind of tired attempt at humour runs throughout the movie. I wouldn’t mind if it had a compelling story, but it didn’t: Already successful man has doubts about whether he can again be successful, this time in a way that also affords the respect of his peers. And if it fails…well there’s no reason why he couldn’t just try again. - So let’s avoid the kinds of arguments on other sites that “if you didn’t like birdman, that’s because you’re not smart enough / expected Batman Forever” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/42 "2015-03-02T22:01:23Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > \ So, it is more drama than comedy, yes? If so, I think I will see it. It’s definitely more drama than comedy. I laughed fairly hard at some parts, but it wasn’t a laugh-a-minute comedy. > [@Mijin](#): > > \ > > - So let’s avoid the kinds of arguments on other sites that “if you didn’t like birdman, that’s because you’re not smart enough / expected Batman Forever” I don’t think I was enough of a movie/theatre insider to really enjoy it. For starters, I hate live theatre - that probably makes me irritated at about half of the movie before we even get into anything else. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/43 "2015-03-02T22:14:36Z")
Yeah, more drama than comedy. Dark comedy is probably a better way to put it. The humor is more wry smiles than laugh out loud (though there are a few of those in there). I’m in the camp that loved it. When it was done, I just though “Wow! That’s why I see movies”. The film took chances and I loved it for that. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/44 "2015-03-03T06:52:46Z")
With little else to relieve the boredom on a 12 hour flight, I watched this. I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. Absolutely dreadful film. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/45 "2015-03-30T10:36:17Z")
Saw this on Netflix dvd. Frankly, it sucked and I turned it off before the ending. Just too weird. Two things though I found interesting; 1. Setting. Backstage at a Broadway theater. Its amazing how old, run down, crowded, and mazelike it all felt. Maze-like meaning the actors were constantly walking down strange narrow hallways into different rooms where things would happen. But I did like seeing some of the technical aspects like how they do the curtains, lighting, and props. 1. The actors behavior. Dang, these people really do live in an alternate world unlike any real job. You wonder when they ever stop acting. And dont people ever knock when going into someones dressing room? Do they constantly get undressed in front of each other? It sort of reminds me of “A Prairie Home Companion” that came out about 10 years ago showing a stage show backstage and the actors all talked about their careers. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/46 "2015-03-30T15:31:42Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > And dont people ever knock when going into someones dressing room? > > Do they constantly get undressed in front of each other? Stage actors, like fashion show models, are conditioned for a very low sense of personal modesty. The jobs require quick costume changes, usually with help, and without privacy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/47 "2015-08-24T16:38:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > We went to see this in the second-run theatres last week; to sum up my take on the movie, that’s the closest I’ve been to walking out of a movie in a long time (and I’ll watch damned near _anything_ on Netflix). My husband’s take - “Wow, they really disappeared up their own asshole in that film!” > > What I think the film is about: I think Riggan Thompson is dying on a beach in Los Angeles, having been stung to death by jellyfish. The entire movie is his hallucination, caused by the jellyfish poisons. That’s why we see the jellyfish in an extremely quick cut right at the start of the movie - that’s what Riggan is seeing as he lies dying. Then at the end, his hallucination is over because he is dead, and the perspective goes back to the beach, except it’s not from his perspective any longer because he’s dead - it’s the perspective of the audience now. Saw it last night…enjoyed it for its uniqueness and score especialy. I was hoping that he would shoot the critic myself…what a bitch! I didn’t notice whether the amount of blood was consistent with “just” shooting your nose off. Maybe the wig went off too…would it have been triggered by the sound? The above is an interesting take re dieing by jellyfish…hmm. As for the ending, if Emma Stone first say him on the ground and then imagined him flying away I think that we would have seen two dif reactions…maybe we did, I don’t recall. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507/48 "2015-08-25T01:49:38Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > What I want to know is, did they have to license the Birdman name from Hanna-Barbera? They better have. Harvey Birdman’s an attorney. At law! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birdman-new-michael-keaton-film-open-spoilers/703507.md?page=2)