Without
fail 1-2 times a year I get suckered in by a PR campaign and this year
it is “Birdman The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance” being the full title
but being known as “Birdman”.  The film is being herald as a movie
making technical feat, acting at its best, plus definite Oscar
nominations for Michael Keaton and Edward Norton in some of the lesser
media oversell. I bought in to it!

Keaton is a one time movie
star who became famous playing the superhero Birdman who decides to come
to Broadway in a play he has written, is producing, directing and is
starring in for a comeback. Playing opposite is another film star (Naomi
Watts) making her Broadway debut and Mike Shiner (Norton) a method
actor who believes you use a real gun in a scene when he is going to be
shot and drinking real gin on stage. Also involved is Laura (Andrea
Riseborough), Keaton’s sometime lover, his daughter Sam, (Emma Stone)
just recently out of rehab being her Dad’s assistant, his ex-wife Sylvia
(Amy Ryan) and his attorney Zach Galifianakis.

It has been
described as a comedy/drama, a first rate back stage story but regarding
the former I laughed once and as far as the latter comes nowhere near
“All About Eve”. There is one scene far fetched scene where The New York
Times fictional critic, played by Lindsay Duncan, tells Keaton she will
destroy his play, and him, for having the nerve to come to Broadway for
his comeback.

Yes Keaton does a good job with what has to work
with, Norton has some good moments but it is Emma Stone who makes the
strongest impression.

Director Alejandro G. Inarritu, who
co-wrote the film with Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and
Armando Bo, also produced it. His gimmick, working with his
cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, making it seem like the movie, even
though taking place over a few days, was filmed in one continuous take
and is very successful at it. The music, mainly drumming by Antonio
Sanchez, at times is affecting but most of the time annoying.

I
may wind up in the minority, and Keaton and Norton may get the Oscar
nominations that are being talked about, but as a comedy or a drama or a
satire “Birdman” doesn’t rate a worth seeing from me.