I have of late been reading up on the work of John Cassevetes, Shadows, A Woman under the Influence, Rosemary’s Baby…and looking at the heightened, in-your-face style of his work. And that innovative director was the first person I thought of when I watched BIRDMAN [The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2562232/

Satire at its most beautiful, it is co-written, produced, and directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, 21 Grams, Babel, Biutiful. A black comedy, but more importantly, and no spoilers here, a stunningly portrayed depiction of a man’s realisation of what really matters in life; how fame can literally alter a person’s sense of being to the point that the imaginary life is more powerful than the reality. And time moves on…the mind moving with it in mysterious ways…

The director’s techniques ensure that we are truly on the journey with Riggan Thompson, played with such integrity and authenticity by Michael Keaton, the vision in black and white bestowing upon it a timeless, raw quality.

Riggan’s is a bittersweet journey, but a compelling one.