Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a 2014 American black comedy film co-written, produced, and directed
by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film stars Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Emma
Stone, Naomi Watts, and Amy Ryan. The film was released on October 17, 2014.
Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a washed-up Hollywood actor who once played the superhero Birdman, before leaving the
franchise to reinvent his career by directing and starring in an adaptation of Raymond Carver's What We Talk About When
We Talk About Love. The play is produced by Riggan's best friend Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and stars Riggan's girlfriend
Laura (Andrea Riseborough) and bisexual actress Lesley (Naomi Watts). Riggan's daughter Sam (Emma Stone), a recovering
drug addict, is also part of the production as Riggan's assistant, and he has refinanced the house belonging to his ex-
wife Sylvia (Amy Ryan) to fund the play. Throughout all of this, Riggan is mocked by the disembodied voice of Birdman,
who claims he will fail.
After one of the leads is injured by a falling stagelight, Jake convinces Riggan to replace him with famous method actor
Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), who becomes attracted to Sam. Laura later announces she's pregnant and breaks up with Riggan
when he appears to be disappointed. During preview performances, Mike insists on drinking real gin on stage, and when
he's instead handed a prop, he interrupts the performance and berates Riggan, who then decides to fire Mike, but is then
told by Jake his addition to the cast has boosted ticket sales and they can't lose him.
Riggan and Mike go to a bar, where Riggan tells Mike he needs the play to be succesful, and mentions that he once
received a compliment from Raymond Carter on a napkin after a performance back when he was struggling theater actor. Mike
points out it's a bar napkin and Carter wrote it while drunk. He dismisses Riggan as untalented for Broadway and
introduces him to Tabitha (Lindsay Duncan), a vicious critic whose review will make or break Riggan's play.
During their second performance, Riggan, Mike and Lesley perform a scene where Riggan's character catches Lesley's
character cheating on him with Mike's character and commits suicide. Mike gets an erection and attempts to persuade
Lesley to have sex with him on stage, but she refuses. Although the audience is distracted by Mike's arousal, the
performance is a success, and Riggan comforts Lesley afterwards. Laura eavesdrops on them and confides with Lesley that
Riggan was never so kind to her, and the two kiss. Meanwhile, Sam and Mike grow closer, and Mike advises Riggan to find a
more realistic prop gun.
Riggan reads early reviews and is incensed that they only mention Mike, who even presents Riggan's story about Carter's
napkin as his own, leading to a fight between them. Riggan later accidentally locks himself out of the theater during
another preview performance and has to go back into the theater and finish the play in his underwear. After the
performance, Riggan goes to the bar and runs into Tabitha again. She reveals that she hates Hollywood celebrities who
attempt to pass themselves for legitimate actors and announces her plans to lambaste his play even if it is good.
Frustrated, Riggan gets drunk and returns to the theater the following day while hallucinating about meeting Birdman and
possessing superpowers, including flight. At his dressing room, he gets into a fight with Sam, who claims nothing they're
doing will mean anything in the end. Sam later has sex with Mike at the rafters above stage, while Sylvia visits Riggan
again and wishes him luck.
On opening night, the performance goes off perfectly. Riggan uses a real gun for the final scene, shooting himself in the
head in front of the audience, and earning a standing ovation from all but Tabitha. He awakens in the hospital, with
bandages that resemble Birdman's mask, and is told by Sam that the play is a hit despite Tabitha's negative review and
ushered a new acting technique called "Ultra-Realism", for which Riggan is being credited. After she leaves, Riggan spots
birds flying outside his bedroom and climbs to the ledge. When Sam returns, Riggan is gone, but there is no body on the
pavement. She then looks up and smiles.
by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film stars Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Emma
Stone, Naomi Watts, and Amy Ryan. The film was released on October 17, 2014.
Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a washed-up Hollywood actor who once played the superhero Birdman, before leaving the
franchise to reinvent his career by directing and starring in an adaptation of Raymond Carver's What We Talk About When
We Talk About Love. The play is produced by Riggan's best friend Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and stars Riggan's girlfriend
Laura (Andrea Riseborough) and bisexual actress Lesley (Naomi Watts). Riggan's daughter Sam (Emma Stone), a recovering
drug addict, is also part of the production as Riggan's assistant, and he has refinanced the house belonging to his ex-
wife Sylvia (Amy Ryan) to fund the play. Throughout all of this, Riggan is mocked by the disembodied voice of Birdman,
who claims he will fail.
After one of the leads is injured by a falling stagelight, Jake convinces Riggan to replace him with famous method actor
Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), who becomes attracted to Sam. Laura later announces she's pregnant and breaks up with Riggan
when he appears to be disappointed. During preview performances, Mike insists on drinking real gin on stage, and when
he's instead handed a prop, he interrupts the performance and berates Riggan, who then decides to fire Mike, but is then
told by Jake his addition to the cast has boosted ticket sales and they can't lose him.
Riggan and Mike go to a bar, where Riggan tells Mike he needs the play to be succesful, and mentions that he once
received a compliment from Raymond Carter on a napkin after a performance back when he was struggling theater actor. Mike
points out it's a bar napkin and Carter wrote it while drunk. He dismisses Riggan as untalented for Broadway and
introduces him to Tabitha (Lindsay Duncan), a vicious critic whose review will make or break Riggan's play.
During their second performance, Riggan, Mike and Lesley perform a scene where Riggan's character catches Lesley's
character cheating on him with Mike's character and commits suicide. Mike gets an erection and attempts to persuade
Lesley to have sex with him on stage, but she refuses. Although the audience is distracted by Mike's arousal, the
performance is a success, and Riggan comforts Lesley afterwards. Laura eavesdrops on them and confides with Lesley that
Riggan was never so kind to her, and the two kiss. Meanwhile, Sam and Mike grow closer, and Mike advises Riggan to find a
more realistic prop gun.
Riggan reads early reviews and is incensed that they only mention Mike, who even presents Riggan's story about Carter's
napkin as his own, leading to a fight between them. Riggan later accidentally locks himself out of the theater during
another preview performance and has to go back into the theater and finish the play in his underwear. After the
performance, Riggan goes to the bar and runs into Tabitha again. She reveals that she hates Hollywood celebrities who
attempt to pass themselves for legitimate actors and announces her plans to lambaste his play even if it is good.
Frustrated, Riggan gets drunk and returns to the theater the following day while hallucinating about meeting Birdman and
possessing superpowers, including flight. At his dressing room, he gets into a fight with Sam, who claims nothing they're
doing will mean anything in the end. Sam later has sex with Mike at the rafters above stage, while Sylvia visits Riggan
again and wishes him luck.
On opening night, the performance goes off perfectly. Riggan uses a real gun for the final scene, shooting himself in the
head in front of the audience, and earning a standing ovation from all but Tabitha. He awakens in the hospital, with
bandages that resemble Birdman's mask, and is told by Sam that the play is a hit despite Tabitha's negative review and
ushered a new acting technique called "Ultra-Realism", for which Riggan is being credited. After she leaves, Riggan spots
birds flying outside his bedroom and climbs to the ledge. When Sam returns, Riggan is gone, but there is no body on the
pavement. She then looks up and smiles.