Review of Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) by Roxanna W — 22 Dec 2015

Birdman is a good film, it's an entertaining film, but it's not a great one. Despite all the praise Keaton and his fellow cast mates deserve, and the incredible direction from renowned auteur, the one thing Birdman can never fully shake off is the strong sense of Oscar bait.

Keaton deserves any and all kudos for a soul-bearing, challenging role. Alfonso C's direction is assured and precise; he brings to life his eccentric plot effortlessly; his long, drawn out sweeping shots are a marvel, and it never misses a beat.

Yet, Birdman's tale is never as grand as it works so hard to sell itself as; the result is everything feels so unconventional simply for the sake of being unconventional. It's a shame the more memorable elements here are how hard everything just feels like a great big push for award glory.