Review of The Birdcage (1996) by Mandela W — 08 Jul 2016

Nathan Lane and the late Robin Williams are two individuals who have showed major range as actors. Lane has proven he can serious drama's like The People vs OJ, musicals like The Producers and can even voice act in films like stuart little and the lion king. Williams same thing, he's starred in everything from serious dramas such as Awakenings, Insominia and good will hunting to his patened comedies like Good Mourning Vietnam, the fisher king and mrs doubtfire. Here in The Birdcage the two take on roles of two gay individuals, a cross dresser who believes he's a woman and the other a manly but still very homosexual man. The Birdcage is impressively well done story and really great to watch.

Lane plays Albert while Williams plays armand. together they are a gay couple who live above a drag show club that they are both apart of in south beach miami. one day Armand's son Val comes into town and reveals that he plans to marry a girl he's been secretly dating. However he needs for one night for there to be no signs of homosexual behavior or items in the house as the girls family is coming to meet Val's family. although reluctant the two agree to help out. however in humourous fashion the lies become hard to maintain in more ways than one.

This was pretty funny and it had some real underlying messages. Got political at times too. veeeeery original script and story for this comedy about LGTBQ issues. took me a minute to realize this is happening in a span of two days.

Nathan Lane is sensational and vibrant in this role as Albert! his scream in here is hilarious! its great how he actually uses that feminity in the only way he knows how. hank azaria really transforms here like Lane as well I couldn't believe that was him. Robin Williams kills it here. He plays an of course humorous role but a man who has a bit of a dilemma in dealing with his son who didn't end up like him and albert. hes trying to stay true to who he is while being a good father to his growing son and it provides quite the conundrum. I wonder if gene Hackman did anymore comedy films he seems right at home with this. On the only negative note of this film, calista fockheart looked clueless as hell and it kinda annoyed me cause I was waiting for her to make a different kind of facial expression.

Overall this is worth the watch and definitely one of my favorite LBGTQ films.