Review of Birdy (1984) by Lynne N — 20 Feb 2007

Matthew Modine is so underrated as an actor that he doesn't normally make it on to movie magazines' underrated actor lists - but I think he's amazing and can make any film watchable. And he plays the disturbed young man so well.

It's really his performance that raises the bar in this movie - his title character is a complex one - at times adorably sweet and at others bordering on the plain psychotic - but Modine delivers an extremely convincing performance.

The film contains a lot of bittersweet humour, and doesn't dwell overmuch on the gory horror of the Vietnam War. This is a definite plus because it means that, rather than being just another Vietnam movie, 'Birdy' is instead a detailed of examination of the mental state of the returned soldiers.

The film invites an interesting comparison between Modine's obviously messed up Birdy and Cage's character, Al, who is only keeping it together on the outside - inside he's just as messed up and haunted by the war he's just lived through and he's desperately scared that he will wind up locked away like his friend.

Cage is a little out-shone by Modine in my humble opinion, but still turns in a great performance - especially considering he spends a large part of the film with his face strapped in bandages. 'Birdy' is not without its flaws - some of the dialogue is a little unnatural, particularly between Al and Major Weiss, and some of the monlogues from the two leads are a little bit too trippy.

But this movie is a moving and worthy addition to the war movie canon.