Riggan Thompson, the main character in the film is played by Michael Keaton, who we all know because of Batman. Now he plays the role of Riggan, who was once at the peak of his career by starring in a superhero film 'Birdman'. Now, with his career flagging, he tried to revive it by writing, directing, and acting in a theater play he adopted from a short story, proving that he is still the same Riggan Thompson who had enormous fans and a hit actor.
As a theater enthusiast myself, this film stirred my passion once again because it made the theater career a very noble one. It is a film about a man's inner struggle to find love and acceptance by using the world of theater as an outlet and opportunity to channel his frustrations. Finding love and acceptance? That's something we all can relate. However, there are actually so many things we can relate to in the film and here are some of them:
A thing is a thing, not what is said of that thing.
1. STOP JUDGING
I am not an exception when it comes to judging people because we all have that habit within ourselves. Sometimes, the way I treat a person is based on what others told me about that person. But most of the times, it causes more harm than good, not just to the person but more particularly to me.
I remember in college, there was this girl who is in the same major as me who seemed to be a very cool person. My classmates used to tell me a lot of negative things about her and that sort of affected my view of her. Later on, we met at an organization meeting (she sat next to me and even approached me) and I was surprised with how well we got along with each other. It was very surprising because she was the total opposite of what was said about her. We're good friends till now.
You see, instances like this are very common and we sometimes can't avoid it either way, to judge or to be judged. However, we all have to think twice before verbalizing our thoughts. Casual talks can easily turn to gossips that can tarnish a person's reputation. Just listening to these talks make us accountable for it because we can be a medium of information and allow bad information to spread ahead. When these things happen, we always have a choice whether to allow that information to spread or to steer it away from harmful results. Speak good words and don't overreact. At least you did something not to turn something to what is said about them.
"I got a chance to do something right. I got to take it. I got to."
~ Riggan Thomson
2. GRAB OPPORTUNITIES
We have plenty of opportunities everyday and we either grab them or we miss them. Business magnates are not what they are today if they didn't grab the opportunities life offered them. We miss opportunities by sidelining ourselves saying we can't do it or we don't have what it takes. But that shouldn't be our thinking. When we miss opportunities, our "confidence declines too and the downward spiral of hopes begins". I can't remember where did I read that but it really stayed in my head and makes me motivated all the time.
"It's funny I was sitting here waiting for you and all of a sudden I couldn't remember why we broke up."
~Sylvia to Riggan
3. COVER BAD THINGS WITH LOVE
Anger ruins everything. We are all made of unique qualities so no matter how compatible people are with each other, misunderstandings can still arise. Why? Because no two people are exactly alike. One single misinterpretation can cause anger which turns situations bad.
No matter how heated the argument is, if you love the person, cover the shortcomings with love. I know this is not an easy thing to do but with an open mind, try to identify the underlying issues and consider if it was really a serious thing. Serious things need calm discussions, not anger. There are more benefits in forgiving than in making the matters worse.
Forgiving and forgetting goes hand in hand. You don't have to recall how the other person has hurt you or what the other person said that caused that painful feeling. In my case, I know I have forgiven the person when I don't know why we fought. And that's a good feeling right there.
"The last time I flew here from LA, George Clooney was sitting two seats in front of me with a nice pair of cufflinks and that... chin. We ended up flying through this really, really horrible storm. I mean the plane was like rattling and shaking, and all the people on board are cying, praying, right? I just sat there. They're crying, I sit there. And I'm thinking, Oh boy, the next morning, when Sam looks at the paper it's going to be Clooney's face on the front page, not mine... Did you know Farrah Fawcett died the exact same day as Michael Jackson? Is that crazy?"
~Riggan Thompson
4. MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Riggan told his ex-wife these words because he wants her to understand why he is doing the things that he is doing. He wants to make a difference and be known to the world, not just someone who died with George Clooney. Okay, I know not all of us can have the chance to become Bill Gates, or Madonna, or Tom Hanks, or whoever superstar you have in mind but trust me, we can all make a difference.
Making a difference in this world doesn't mean you have to be rich or popular or genius. Maraming tao ang papansin sa Internet sites dahil lang sa gusto nilang sumikat at makilala sa mundo ng mga taong wala nang ibang ginawa kundi ang mabuhay sa social media. (And yes! I want that to be in Tagalog for emphasis!) But is that really what making a difference mean? Is that how we measure success? Seriously, what happened to this world? I can't tell you what success means because we all have our own connotation about it and we differ depending on our area of interests but for me, being successful is when you're doing your best in what you do with the feeling of contentment that you are not in want of anything else. If you can find work, stay healthy, find somebody to share it with, you're the ultimate success (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind).
This world only follows what the society think is right. We can make a difference by opposing this idea. Now because everyone is into the new Pokemon Go doesn't mean you have to try it. Not because everyone loves Prada doesn't mean you have do buy it. Now because everyone hates Justine Beiber doesn't mean you have to hate him too. That's making a difference. Standing up with your opinions and being yourself. Don't just follow. Lead.
Riggan: "Why did we break up?"
Sylvia: "Just because I didn't like that ridiculous comedy you did with Goldie Hawn did not mean that I did not love you. That's what you always do. You confuse love for admiration."
Riggan: "Why did we break up?"
5. DEFINE LOVE
Oh, that sounds like a question in a high school slum book, remember(?), when you used to write "love is blind" or "love is like a water that flows forever". I used to answer that question with a copy-pasted quote from authors I love. But enough of the high-schoolish definition of love.
The reason why I don't believe in love at first sight is because seeing someone's beauty isn't the same as loving. I think I should define it more like an admiration than love and that's two totally different things. The word 'admiration' is defined by dictionaries as 'a feeling of delighted approval and liking'. Love, on the other hand is defined as 'have a great affection or liking for'. No wonder people confuse the two as the same.
The love-at-first-sight notion implies that true love is just a feeling—an overpowering emotion that grips you when you meet the right someone—that such love just happens, and that it requires little effort or knowledge of the other person. Real love, however, is much more than a feeling. Granted, feelings are involved, but love is a profound human bond that also includes principles and values and that never ceases to grow, providing it is properly nurtured and maintained.*
Most of us are influenced by the Internet and media by fairytale definitions of love and the common involvement of sex and romance. In popular culture, we are surrounded with the idea that we can't be satisfied with our partners and we cannot be satisfied with ourselves too. Media romance and genuine love are quite confusing, yes. Media romance is so full of admiration and we must not confuse it with love because it is, most of the times, short-termed.
"A man becomes a critic when he cannot be an artist the same way that a man becomes an informer when he cannot be a soldier."
~Mike Shiner
6. DON'T JUST AGREE
Mike Shiner qouted those words from Gustave Flaubert, a French novelist whom we all know from his novel Madame Bovary. He was saying these words to Tabitha, the antagonist in the film to sort of terrorize her about giving a grave review on their play.
However, if we think about it, not everyone who becomes an informant was rejected from being a soldier; and not every critic wanted to be an artist. Their job is to open our eyes on the things that artists have to improve. If an artist is really good, there is no way he will be afraid of the critics. So I don't agree with Shiner or Flaubert in this statement.
I guess artists should be motivated to do well by trying to consider what their critics are saying, not use those words to loose their confidence and self-motivation. After all, a bad review makes someone realize what he has to change.
However, I think Flaubert is pointing his finger to those who criticize other people without truly knowing what they are saying only to pull a person down.
"You are not doing this for the sake of art, you are doing this to feel relevant again. Well, guess what? There's an entire world of people fighting to be relevant every single day! And you act like it doesn't exist. Things are happening in the place that you ignore. A place that by the way has already forgotten about you! You're doing this because you are scared to death like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what, you're right. You don't!"
~Sam Thompson
7. FACE THE REALITY
Fighting for our self-relevance can sometimes be intoxicating. Most people now measure a person's worth based on the likes he gets in an Instagram post or how many friends he has in Facebook, or how many views his videos in Youtube are while he's eating something gross or basically doing something stupid, or how many followers are there in his Twitter account. That's the reason why a lot of us are doing foolish things to get these attention from random beings in the Internet just to prove our existence or worse, to measure our relevance in this world.
But let's face it. Every person is fighting the same battle and while someone may get ahead of all of us, in the end, we might still forget that person. Not everyone in this world is given a shot in life when you become Einstein who still lives even if he's dead. That's the reality.
"I guess we make choices in life and we choose to live with them. Or not."
~Laura Aulburn
8. FACE THE CONSEQUENCESDecisions, after it's been done, whether right or wrong, cannot be changed. I have done too many bad decisions in my life and I live with all the consequences. I chose not to live with other effects though, because I choose not to get sad in this life. Most of you are like me because, well, we face decisions everyday. Decisions, even the smallest one has an effect in future actions and outcomes. Being depressed about something that has already been done is useless. Consider every consequence of our action as another chance to do what is right. But never be afraid to do something wrong nor force yourself to being perfect. No one can do that.
"I've always dreamed of being a Broadway actress since I was a little kid. And now I'm here, and I'm... I'm not a Broadway actress I'm still just a little kid. And I keep waiting for someone to tell me I made it."
~Lesley Truman
9. HAPPINESS ISN'T ALWAYS GETTING WHAT YOU WANT
Remember the saying, "Be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it"? I thought of this clause after I heard Lesley said the words. Some poeple spend their lifetime striving for careers they want only to end up unhappy. Sometimes there are things that we don't like but when they happens, we are surprised with how happy they make us.
"You've been hangin' around here trying to make yourself invisible behind this little routine of yours but you can't. You're anything but invisible. You're big. You're kind of a great mess. It's like a candle burning at both ends, but it's beautiful."
~ Mike Shiner
10. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
I always remind myself the same words at times I think about my failures. I always compare myself to other who do better than me but I don't feel good with these thoughts. So instead of reminding myself about my insecurities and shortcomings, I just always tell myself that I am beautiful in my own way. No matter what kind of mess will I be.
There is always more to you than what's seen with the eyes. You may not feel it but in this world, every person has their beauty and you don't have to feel small and feel invisible because you might be the world for someone. You might neglect the people who love you for you, not for the image this world wants to turn you. You have your experiences. You have your ideas. You have your creativity. Every person has a story and your story, no matter how scary, sad, or depressing is still beautiful in its own way.
So just in case you need a reminder, you are beautiful.
"I wasn't even present in my own life and now I don't have it."
~Riggan Thompson
11. LIVE YOUR MOMENTS
I think, this part here is the saddest of all. There was a scene when Riggan told his wife about Sam's birth recalling that he was busy taking the video that the feeling of having a child missed him because he seemed not there. This made me think about how I really live the moments in my life. Am I absent when I'm surrounded by friends? Are my thoughts in the place where I am? We make our mind busy wandering in a zone where our body is not present at the moment. This is wasting time. Your mind should be in the place where your body is. There is a time for contemplating about people or places or circumstances. Live the moment where you are than remember that moment as a time that supposedly had given you happiness, but you were not in it.
It's a beautiful day. Forget about the Times... everyone else has. Come on. Stand up! So you're not a great actor. Who cares? You're much more than that... You are larger than life, man.
~Young Birdman
12. YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT OTHERS EXPECT OF YOU
Make this as your motivation whenever you feel like you can't do things. Choices are always in your hands whether to prove them right or exceed their expectations. But what if you didn't exceed 'their' expectations? Will that matter? No. Who cares? If someone tells you are not a good one in something you think you can do best, let them think that way. You are the only person who knows your limit. You might not know your potential but you can always improve yourself and do better than what you can do yesterday.
Sam: "Truth or dare?"
Mike Shiner: "Truth."
Sam: "That's boring."
Mike Shiner: "Truth is always more interesting."
13. GO FOR THE TRUTH
When you look at a person, you are not looking at the view of the turmoil inside him. Behind every person is a story of struggle and success. The question of "how" did you happen to be the person you are today is very important. Just like the words of Chelsea Clinton, "The 'how' question is very important in life" because it reveals about the truth. There is always more than what we just see and what we just hear. I am always fascinated with people's back story. I am always fascinated with how things are done before they become the product they are right in front of me. The truth is not always easy to know but it is really something worth searching for.
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