‘Birdman’ Ending Explained

Birdman is the winner of the 2015 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography – and may have been an enormous hit with critics – but thanks to a limited release, it has taken awhile for casual moviegoers to catch the film and form their own opinions. Emmanuel Lubezki’s simulated one-take presentation should give viewers an appreciation for the creativity and innovation that was required to produce Birdman; however, the film’s bookish storyline, mixed with magical realism, has left many cinephiles scratching their heads at what they did (or did not) see by the end.

At its core, Birdman tells the tale of a man’s struggle to find internal as well as external love and acceptance, as the film’s central character, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), channels his regrets and frustrations into a stage adaptation of the Raymond Carver short story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.” Still, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu isn’t simply focused on Riggan, and the filmmaker takes opportunities to explore what his characters talk about when they too talk about love – producing a rich and layered movie experience (one that also happens to contain some potentially head-scratching moments for casual viewers).

Continue Reading.