Birdman Group Analysis

analysis
#101

@Dan310 you’re right. The only hard cut in the film comes after he shoots himself on stage. It’s clear to me what that means–when it comes to magical realism, there is a truth that grounds the fantasy. But regardless of the interpretation, the truth stands:

Riggan killed himself.

Whether he did it on stage (as the one-hard cut would suggest) or whether he did it flinging himself out the hospital window, he finally did it.

Which means he finally gave people the “blood and action” Birdman called for.

In post #81 you argue for Steadfast:

the entire film he tries to suppress Birdman because Birdman threatens his credibility as an artist. He’s meditating in the beginning to shut out Birdman’s voice (according to an earlier draft of the script), he destroys the poster, and perhaps in a bit of an homage to Fight Club he attempts to shoot himself to end the alter ego for good.

But that’s not why he shoots himself.

Prior to his last moment on stage he tells his wife that he hears voices in his head, but that while he finds them scary, he now thinks of them as “comforting.” This is in sharp contrast to the Riggan at the beginning of the film who indeed, was meditating to shut the voices out. He wanted nothing to do with them. Now he finds them soothing. His wife even comments that he seems abnormally “calm”.

Riggan has accepted his Birdman persona and proves this by giving everyone the “blood and action” they expect.

“I am you.” And Riggan responds by believing he is Birdman.

He tried to commit suicide twice–once when he walked into the ocean, and twice when he walked onto that stage with a loaded gun. Both times he escaped. Nothing happened to him (as far as he knows) and now he feels invincible. Now he feels like Birdman … only he’s not invincible.

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#102

Let me make this argument in a different way.

For the duration of the movie, he’s doing rehearsal, and they all go terribly. By all measures, he doesn’t know what he’s doing on a stage, and this shows it.

His daughter says, “Are you going to be able to do it?”

He decides, “No. I’m not going to be able to do it.” This is during the time that he gets drunk and embodies Birdman by flying through NYC. Birdman is no longer someone outside of him – he has cawed, and accepted that he is Birdman.

Now he no longer has to even worry about doing a Broadway worthy performance – he cannot, he’s decided, so he’s going to give them Birdman. Blood and Guts. He has changed.

Does that sound right? Because I’ve got to go figure out if I believe it!

#103

Okay. So Riggan resisting Birdman at the beginning and embracing / accepting him at the end is his change. That makes sense.

So, if we’re in agreement, we’ve managed to establish the following:

MC: Riggan
IC: Birdman
MC Resolve: Change

Not bad. We’ve answered 3 out of 14 points. At this rate, should take us only 476 posts to get through this. Make sure to get an extra large popcorn, it’s gonna be a whopper.

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#104

477

I second MC Riggan, IC Birdman, Change.

#105

If Riggan changes and Birdman remains steadfast it does seem to fall in line with one of the themes of the film. So while I still have many questions I do think that the other Dynamics will allow me a chance to ask them so I’m cool with moving on if everyone else is.

#106

Yes let’s. At this rate, we’ll be in retirement homes struggling to pee by the time we’re done.

#107

Ok. Typically we skip Main Character Growth, allowing the program to determine it for us, but I think in case it’s pretty obvious. Does Riggan change by Stoping something o by Starting something? Remember this is the kind of growth he needs to “arc” through before he can finally make that Change of Resolve.

Another way to look at it … Does Riggan have a chip on his shoulder (Stop) or a hole in his heart (Start)?

#108

That’s a bit intimidating, but uh… chip on his shoulder? Stop? Riggan wants Birdman to shut up and leave him alone.

#109

I’d say Stop as well. He has an ego that he needs to let go of.

#110

Stop the Birdman voice and worries in his head. Or at least stop the worry they cause to him.

#111

Yeah, fully. Usually this could be one or the other, but I agree this one is pretty solid. I would say stop thinking of Birdman as a burden, but yes he has a giant chip that hovers just above his shoulder (and tells him what a massive idiot he is!)

Ok, so onto the Main Character Approach: Do-er or Be-er. Does Riggan prefer to solve problems externally first, or does he prefer to solve them internally first? (And why?!)

#112

I would venture Do-er.

When Riggan’s frustrated, he destroys his room. When Mike drinks gin during a run through, he swipes the bottle for one full of water. Afterwards, Riggan wants to fire Mike instead of trying to adjust to his method. When Riggan can’t fire Mike, goes for a walk with him to get him some coffee. When he meets the critic, grabs her notebook and reads her pages, criticizing her work.

#114

While I can see some of those as examples of Do-er many of them relate to the Riggan and the play which is in the OS. While you are probably correct, I would try to find examples of Riggan’s approach to problems to him personally…

I do see some instances of him as a Be-er:
Pretending to be excited about his girlfriends pregnancy when he’s not.
When he sees Mike flirting with his daughter he goes outside to smoke.

But Do-er seems to be prevalent throughout the story:
Mike says some bad things about Riggan in an interview Riggan goes down to fight him.
Riggan meditates to get rid of Birdman
Riggan finds out his daugther is doing drugs again he confronts her about it.
He keeps trying to kill himself.

I originally replied to the wrong post hence the deleted one above.

#115

I’m going to add that:

  • He destroys his dressing room (can’t remember the cause)
  • After Sam yells at him, he spins the cigarette case
  • He beats up Mike after Mike steals his story
  • He confronts the critic after she says she’ll destroy him
#116

How about the fantasies? Could we consider them signs of a be-er?

But I think the strongest sign of a do-er could be the fact that instead of adapting himself, he decides to put the play to try to change other’s perception.

Although the fantasies are linked to Birdman… he could be the be-er.

I’m going to go with do-er

#117

If I understand the theory correctly, he becomes a be-er when he “becomes” Birdman, when he accepts the point of view of the voice in his head.

But someone with a better understanding of the Dramatica theory can correct or clarify that point.

#118

I think the reality is that he is destroying his room, he is in the taxi. Since the storyform reflects what is really going on… I think this is very do-er.

The fact that he believes the fantasies… I’m not sure this matters. @jhull ?

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#119

That might come up later … but in a story sense, no, I don’t think it matters whether he thinks he is doing things or whether he really is (again, magical realism).

So we have a consensus on Do-er. Excellent! Main Character Problem-Solving Style Linear or Holistic and why?

#120

I’d say LINEAR. Riggan seems entirely motivated by if-then conditional statements. “If I succeed on the stage, I’ll escape my past career.”

He’s short-sighted, focused on the goals of the moment and lacking a big picture perspective. The exchange where he gets Mike to believe his fake back-story – he clearly expected specific results that he didn’t achieve. Same with his argument with Tabitha – he thought dressing her down would win the day, but instead he was blindsided by the bartender’s soliloquy.

I’d argue that anyone who asks a former flame, “where did we go wrong” is a Linear thinker – focused on stair-steps instead of tangled webs.

The story definitely feels as though Riggan would have a much easier time if he looked at problems holistically.

#121

Linear would be my bet. The dealings with his producer, securing finances, using the house in Malibu to pay for Mike’s salary, looking for a replacement actor, going down a list of names, etc.