Report Card----"Birdman"

"Birdman" is a surrealistic view of show business, and it's successes and failures.
It's imagination is endless.
The intensity of it's performances can be overwhelming at times.
So much so, that when it isn't, the film tends to drag a little.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Mostly. But there are chatty respites between characters that are relatively less than interesting.
B+.

Compelling even?

Often.
A+.

Is it controversial?

Only to people directly involved in show business.
B.

Is it a story worth telling?

I think it is.
B+.

Is it good storytelling?

For the most part, but there is this major, MAJOR story hole that happens near the very end of the film that nearly brings it down entirely.
In fantasy based TV shows, in order for there to be some semblance of working, you have to stay within the framework of whatever fantasy has been set up.
You have to buy into the fact that Samantha Stevens has witch-like powers. But everything else had to adhere to that reality.
In "My Mother, The Car", you had to make the buy that Jerry Van Dyke's mother was in fact, a car.
And what makes that show the worst thing to ever hit the airwaves is that they consistently violated their own reality.
Now, "Birdman" is certainly a far cry better than "My Mother, The Car", but it makes the same transgression.
I won't turn it into a spoiler alert but anyone who wants to e-mail me about it at macchus999@aol.com can hear me sound off about it in relative privacy.
C.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is thoroughly superb.
A+.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Michael Keaton is kinetic and awesome. A fabulous choice.
Edward Norton is more impressive every time I see him.
A+.

Well shot?

Very.
A+.


Is it too long? Too short?

The lulls in the action makes it feel a little long, but not very.
And soon enough, we're back to the intensity.
B+

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Within it's frame work, it is, and I do, until, like I said, almost the very end.
B.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Constantly unpredictable, and utterly surprising, though not always in a good way.
B.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

As I have experienced some of the things depicted, it truly resonates.
A+.

Is it funny?

Often.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

It didn't need any more than my 60 inch plasma screen.
F.

Is it impressive ?

I was taken with the ambitiousness of it all.
A+.

Overall grade: B+.

If you can get past the quizzical ending, it's certainly worth your time.

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My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

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