The Quest for Authenticity

Birdman addresses a person’s pursuit for authenticity through the the fictious character Riggan Thomson. Riggan recently dropped out of his famous “Birdman” role in order to express the roots of the theatre arts through the play “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” but according to a highly regarded critic, Riggan, despite his dramatic career decision, remains to represent the “entitled, selfish, spoiled children” of Hollywood who are “blissfully untrained, unversed, and unprepared to attempt real art.” As a result, Riggan attempts to bring meaning into his reality, but even in an act of bloody bravery and sacrifice for the arts, his director tries to thwart Riggan’s action into a scandal that will produce money rather than promote change and authenticity into our material world. The only person in the film that really resonated with Riggan’s shooting himself in the face was the critic, who took the initiative to spread Riggan’s devotion and love of theatre through a positive review of the play, apart from Riggan’s daughter, Sam. In a heated discussion, Sam confronts her father and says “Let's face it, Dad, it’s not for the sake of art. It’s because you want to feel relevant again.” Saying this demonstrates that Sam recognizes authenticity and acknowledges that at the beginning of her father’s journey that was not his goal. Knowing Riggan’s previous pursuits which contrast with his final actions, Sam, like the critic, promoted authenticity by publicizing Riggan’s pictures on social media. In conclusion, I would recommend this film to anyone with an open mind, a passion for the arts, and a desire for the truth.