Birdy (1984) User Reviews

"Birdy" flies away into cinematic greatness

[dee.reid · 8/10 · 4 August 2005]

(I was flipping through the channels one quiet evening at home when I stumbled across this picture, "Birdy.")

To some, the character Birdy (Matthew Modine) has an unnatural and (quite) unhealthy obsession with birds. Well, he spends most of his time with birds, has dreams of flying away from his real-world troubles, and his only friend is a neighborhood tough named Al (Nicolas Cage). So because of his obsession with birds, Birdy has to be crazy, right? So is Al even crazier for befriending him… well, isn't he?

It is these questions and many more that make up the central theme of Alan Parker's superb 1984 drama "Birdy" (adapted from William Wharton's novel), a film about two crazy guys whose friendship is ultimately tested by each other's mental sicknesses. Both of their lives take drastic turns before and after they have done tours in Vietnam, and ultimately wind up in opposite ends of the psyche ward of a state mental hospital, with Al, who's been left virtually unrecognizable by his facial bandages and Birdy, who's stuck in a catatonic state as a result of an accident out on the killing fields.

It is also the feelings of isolation between the two that brings them together, as flashbacks during their stay help to emphasize their emotions. Birdy, feeling like he is the only one that understands his bird "dream," may in actuality be the only "sane" character in the whole film. Al, who is injured from a shell explosion, questions who he is because he's not even sure who it really is underneath the bandages on his face. And it is liberation, whether it be physical or mental, that is expressed greatly by the film's ending, and Birdy's eventual coming to grips with his own current predicament.

Director Parker has always made it a point of capturing human suffering on celluloid, and this has been the main subject in a number of his films, including "Midnight Express" (1978) and "Angel Heart" (1987). Here, his subject matter is fairly lighter than those films, since the audience is spared the really intense mental anguish that accompanied "Express" and the graphic carnage of "Angel."

There's a kind of deep spiritual undercurrent flowing through "Birdy," which is most apparent by the lead character's fascination with his quarry – birds. To him, birds represent freedom, a kind of freedom that can only be obtained by literally taking to the skies, and soaring high above all his problems (fans of Terry Gilliam's political satire "Brazil" should take notice here). This of course leads to the film's profound ending on the mental hospital's rooftop, where Al and Birdy must make a desperate choice – choose freedom, or choose confinement – of the body, or of the psyche.

I won't reveal any more than those close details but you'll have to see what happens for yourself. It really caught me off guard and in a lesser movie might seem tacky, but the way Parker and the actors handle just makes the on-screen action that much more moving. But you can be sure of this: Birdy flies. And "Birdy" does fly into underrated classic movie status because of its performers and director Alan Parker's direction.

10/10

A Strange, Depressing Character Study

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 7 December 2006]

This is a strange and fascinating - but that likable - story about a kid who becomes obsessed with birds and then literally goes crazy. Matthew Modine plays the introverted "Birdy." A young Nicholas Cage plays his best friend, "Al."

It's not a particularly pleasant story. In fact, it's downright depressing many times. It also had an unusual ending, one the critics seemed to all pan but I liked. I thought it was neat.

The movie does keep your interest, so it gets decent points for that, and it certainly presents a unique character study.

I haven't seen this film in a long time, but after writing this review, I'd kind of like to view it again.....depressing or not.

two great performances

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 8 January 2016]

Birdy (Matthew Modine) is the weirdo kid in a working class Philadelphia neighborhood. Al Columbato (Nicolas Cage) becomes his friend. Birdy introduces Al to his love of pigeons. They're both sent to Vietnam. Birdy returns in psychological distress after a month MIA. Al returns after suffering wounds to his face. Birdy's doctor finds Al to help in his treatment.

These are two great performances. Matthew Modine transforms physically and also mentally. Cage is the conduit between the audience and Birdy. He's not necessarily in the easier role at the least. They're both equally amazing. This isn't a movie about big plot developments. It's watching the obsessive Birdy going deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole.

Flying Away From Society (a kind of long synopsis of Birdy's themes)

[-744 · 9 July 2001]

Note: this is best read *after* having seen Birdy, as it contains some general spoilers.

`As scary as a bird's life may be, they always have that. They can fly away.'-Birdy.

To say that Birdy is a film about a young man obsessed with birds and flying is to oversimplify a great deal. Birdy is an extraordinary film that deals with the longing to fly, and everything that such a yearning entails about a person. It's about people who weren't meant to live in this world, this society, who don't belong, who don't fit in and don't really want to fit in. It's about the overwhelming frustration of not having asked for any of `this', yet constantly being reminded that no matter how much one doesn't want to be a part of it all, just by being human there is no escape; the world will not let you do as you want, and one cannot fly away. In director Alan Parker's vision, these feelings that are so hard to put into words are articulately and beautifully expressed.

I'm not going to focus on plot details as much as on what Birdy is `about', but I will just say that Matthew Modine gives an incredible performance as Birdy. At moments his greatest power simply comes from his eyes and facial expressions (especially in his scenes in the military asylum). This is a perfect example of superb casting and an actor just disappearing into his role. Obviously the character of Birdy is central to understanding the film, and his fascination with birds and particularly their flight is his way of trying to deal with a cold, insensitive world while being a sensitive individual. His growing obsession with his birds and disassociation with the outside world comes with his realization that he is alone and no one understands him, even Al (Nicholas Cage), his best and only friend.

Birdy doesn't care about the outside world, and his ideas of what is truly important and what freedom is couldn't be further from the society that tells him to be concerned with superficial things. He is pure to the highest extent in that he is not in the least tainted by the constant pressure the world places on him to fit in and be `normal'. Al connects him to the outside world, and allows him to share some of his dreams to a certain degree, but Birdy more or less continues to live in his own little world. And even though Birdy isn't disturbing anyone, it seems that just the little things that mean so much to him are what are constantly threatened to be taken away. His own mom always threatens to get rid of his birds, and uses this to force Birdy to go to the prom, which he has no interest in. This serves as an example of a relatively trivial matter that is looked upon as some major event in every young person's life. Here Birdy is more or less being told 'fit in, or I'll take away the one thing that you have that truly matters to you'. Similarly, all of Birdy and Al's chances of fun and freedom are taken away throughout the film--their car for example, the closest thing they have to being able to get up and take off. And they get into trouble when they haven't really done anything too bad, showing the ways the uptight, unreasonable society tries to force everyone into line. How it sucks the life out of people is also shown, especially through adult characters like Birdy and Al's parents. While it's true that Birdy's parents just want better for him, they could never understand what would be better for him. This idea of losing any sort of idealism and settling down is shown in Birdy and Al's father's jobs. Birdy's dad is a janitor at his school and Al's is a garbage man. I think I can honestly make a judgement that no one grows up dreaming of or even expecting to become one of the above jobs. But time and time again the world crushes ideals and hopes and dreams and forces everyone into some kind of role.

Birdy and Al's going off to Vietnam is not only the ultimate example of being forced to do something one doesn't want--- of no escape and no choice--- but also shows the irony of war for people like Birdy, who doesn't want anything to do with this world anyway, and the anti-authoritarian Al. Supposedly they are fighting for freedom; yet is this really freedom for people who never even wanted to be part of this society in the first place? Freedom for the very society that crushes their souls and determines how they will live, to continue to exist? The film is brought to its climatic height in the scene that shows what sent Birdy over the edge. As bombs explode and men die around him there is nothing he can do but sit and watch as all sorts of species of birds fly away from the horror. Birdy is sent over the edge with this realization that he *can't* fly like a bird, he is not free and will never truly be on this earth, as a human being.

Finally, I guess at this point it's practically mandatory to comment on the much-debated ending. I personally like it and happen to think its one of the funniest moments in film I've ever seen. But besides, it also fits into the context of the film. Here we have a whimsical film about quirky people doing quirky things. So why should a quirky ending suddenly be considered a cheap gag? Sure it's abrupt, but the entire film has been unconventional and has also had its share of humorous moments. Furthermore, I've noticed a great deal of symmetry throughout Birdy, especially with the `jump/fly' scenes; where every time Birdy gets himself in trouble and it looks as though he's about to fall to his death, and Al gets all worried, Birdy manages to be okay and land on his feet (sort of). If you watch closely, and also listen (to the music which seems to signify these scenes) a lot more than you may have expected will fall into place. I also just want to quickly mention how beautifully and poetically shot some of the scenes are (a great moment is when we fly from a bird's point of view). Obviously, a lot more can be said and be gotten out of Birdy, and I didn't use many specific examples because there are just too many to choose from, but here I just tried to best sum up what strikes me the most about this film. Anyone who's ever felt absolutely out of place in this world and frustrated with being stuck on the ground here will almost certainly be able to make a connection with this film.

Fine movie with an unexpected ending

[AKS-6 · 7/10 · 12 April 1999]

This comment contains a spoiler about the movie's ending (not exactly how it ends, but some people may consider it a spoiler.)

Birdy is a fine movie about friendship and about not fitting in. It is also a movie about what war can do to people: Nicolas Cage's character Al finally sees no solution for himself but to go crazy just like his friend. However, that is not how this movie ends, and I must say that it is refreshing to see a movie like this with such a hopeful ending.

Nicolas Cage is great in this movie, as is Matthew Modine. The script is very well-written with engaging characters and I also think that the cinematography is great.

(7/10)

An Incredible Atmospheric Film -- See it on a big screen if you can

[Guido_TheKillerPimp · 7/10 · 28 September 2005]

I first saw this movie when it was released in 1984 at an art house strictly for the reason that Peter Gabriel had written the soundtrack. I had never heard of Nicolas Cage and barely heard of Matthew Modine. I was also interested at the prospect that this was an "Alan Parker Film." I had no idea what the movie was about and therefore had no preconceptions; which I believe is the best way to go into a movie -- especially a good one! What I saw was incredible. The fact that Nicolas Cage had virtually his entire face bandaged through the "current" scenes of the film and yet could still evince the feelings of a man suffering with post-war trauma said a great deal about his acting prowess. What really moved me about Birdy was its atmospheric quality. From the Brooklyn mean streets, where the boys grew up, to the asylum, to the first person view of Birdy's pet parakeet, Alan Parker's direction filled these experiences with life and verve. Of course, combine this with a Peter Gabriel soundtrack that was both familiar and alien to the Peter Gabriel fan and you have one excellent film.

Brilliant story of friendship, and a journey into madness

[Megabuck · 9/10 · 21 March 2001]

Birdy is a difficult film to describe. It's about the developing friendship between Al (Nick Cage) and Birdy (Matthew Modine), but it's also about a descent into madness, and the lengths to which Al goes for his friend.

The film starts in the late 60's, in a US military mental hospital. Cage has been seriously wounded, and has had reconstructive surgery on his face, but he's been brought in because Birdy is here. He's uncommunicative and appears to recognise no one, spending all day squatting on the floor of his cell squinting up at the window.

The story is mostly told in flashbacks, either Al recounting incidents in their growing friendship as neighbourhood kids or, later, Birdy remembering other incidents. From the start the two are pretty dissimilar - Al is athletic, outgoing and popular while Birdy is quiet and introverted - a typical nerd. The two are, paradoxically, brought together by Birdy's love of birds, and the stupid things they do - making suits out of pigeon feathers to befriend more pigeons, climbing on (and falling off) factories trying to capture more birds.

Al tries to set Birdy on a 'normal' track; they buy a wrecked car and fix it up, and head off to the beach. But Birdy is just too wrapped up in himself for this to work, and it's a wonder he doesn't alienate Al with his strange behaviour.

In the 'present', the doctor is putting more pressure on Al to get Birdy to respond; if he doesn't, then Birdy will be written off and sent to a permanent mental institution. The flashbacks continue, and it becomes clear that Birdy's love of birds has turned into an obsession, and then into the darker realms beyond that.

The final few minutes of the film cover a lot of ground; Al finally realises that Birdy is pretty well off the deep end; they both go off to fight in the war; Al gets his injury, while we see the incident that left Birdy in his present state. Meanwhile the doctor finally decides that time has run out, but Al decides he's not leaving.

The ending of the film is incredibly powerful, and it should be a criminal offence to give it away. Is it 'appropriate' to the rest of the film? I dunno - but I thought it was pretty damn good.

The film stands or falls on the performances of Cage and Modine - and, for me, it stands tall. Cage is excellent in his role, capturing the bravado of his character perfectly; but Modine is simply brilliant. During the flashbacks he portrays his nerdy character completely believably, but it's the way he handles the scenes in the asylum that amazed me. As soon as you know his obsession, it is crystal clear that he's not squatting in his cell, but perching, wishing to fly.

Alan Parker has made some great films; this might just be his best.

When Did They Stop Making Movies Like This?

[nirvan-psychology · 10/10 · 5 June 2014]

If ever I needed convincing that Nicholas Cage is a great actor and human being, it is in this role and the brilliant performance of Birdie himself. If ever good can be portrayed as coming out of bad, it is the deeply moving message and point of making a movie like this. Who needs convincing that war is evil, that life is cruel and that love conquers all its madness? Who can even begin to understand the torment of post-traumatic stress? Those who perpetrate suffering not only to humans but animals alike can never have the empathy that defines us as human. On many levels, the story and how it is told, speaks to the heart and we weep in sympathy for the pain of those who suffer whether from mental illness, bullying or the unspeakable abuses of war. Where have all the great movie makers like Alan Parker gone? There is nothing but fake, shallow and profit orientated products that mirror the fake, shallow and insecure "virtual" relating that goes on today. For that I weep. It has created a hunger deeper than that suffered from starving Biafra.

Take Flight

[kelly-gaudreau · 7/10 · 20 June 2022]

When the wife wanted to watch this film, a favourite of hers, I was skeptical if I would like it. It was a story that kept my interest. I was totally enchanted by Modine's character. Once you watch you will feel as though you could take flight.

The interplay of an extrovert and an introvert is both hilarious and an intriguing psychological study.

[Pelrad · 10/10 · 9 April 1999]

Many critics rated this as one of the most overlooked films of the mid-eighties. The film has moments of deep seriousness blended with killer humour. The interplay of an extrovert and an introvert - the different ways that they think and react to situations - is often hilarious. The film can also be regarded as an intriguing psychological study, as Cage tries every technique his fast-paced mind can think of to snap his introverted friend out of his acute mental state - a condition caused by witnessing the horrors of warfare. It is extremely interesting to see what works in the end. Modine's physically-challenging performance is top-notch. Contains a great Peter Gabriel soundtrack as well. Although not to everyone's taste, I, for one, liked the "gag" ending. (10 out of 10)

Still a great film.

[siglo_xx · 7/10 · 1 September 2003]

I haven't read through all the comments of others on this film, but most of them are pretty much right on cue, with a few exceptions. I feel compelled to express my opinions of the movie, since it has always been one of my favorite Alan Parker films, along with The Wall, and a few other notably good films of his mentioned by others. This movie, along with The Wall, have had a huge impact on more than one person's life in this world, and that says a great deal on its own. It had been one of my favorites nearly 20 years ago when I was beginning college, and the quest toward independent life, searching for your place in the world, your identity and your own personal meaning in life. This is what the movie (story) is about to me. There is a lot of generalization about insanity, mental illness, the war, the human bonding of two friends; and they're all true; but there's so much more here. The symbolism of searching for yourself, flight equaling freedom; authoritarian symbols, from war, to the military, from your parents to just about everything else we question in life. Birdy is different because he (and those who identify with him) yearn to be free, not just in the literal sense, but as a free spirit, an individual in a world full of normalcy. Parker does an excellent job of direction, cinematography is in many respects still ahead of its time and acting is top notch. Parker's use of film as character memory in this film is among the first I encountered and I still find it equal to many other great directors who have used it to tell a story to this day. I can hardly find better performances by Modine or Cage anywhere in their vast catalog. Cage comes close in many films and probably equals it in others, but for as early as this was on his career, put in context, it's nearly impossible to beat. It's too bad Cage hasn't had a decent role in many years. As for Modine, nothing comes close to this performance that I've witnessed. I find it interesting that I didn't read anyone's comments about the soundtrack by Peter Gabriel, which was borrowed a great deal from his 'Security' release, probably one of his finest, and is easily on par with his work for Last Temptation of Christ, The Rabbit Proof Fence and others. This is what partly drew me into the film so many years ago, and I'm sure his having worked on it is no coincidence, as he typically only gets involved in projects which say a great deal about humanity. Highly recommended, a very conservative 7/10 vote.

it is really a bit silly

[christopher-underwood · 5/10 · 14 April 2022]

I've never seen the film before and I suppose I realise now that although it is well done, it is really a bit silly. I liked the birds and all of the boys and Matthew Modine and a very young looking Nicolas Cage although he has to have a bandage over much of his face. Apparently the original book only had the one boy and they create another for the film which I suppose was a good or bad idea.

Great movie, great ending.

[pahool · 11 September 1999]

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's such a great growing-up buddy flick. Despite the serious subject matter (shell-shocked, catatonic Vietnam vet in mental hospital), the movie manages to be very light-hearted for the most part, without discounting the gravity of the situation that the characters are in. It doesn't seek to use the war as a means of creating the identities of the characters, the war and the "present situation" in the film (most of the film is flashbacks) are more background to the story of two crazy Philly kids growing up together.

The movie is full of laughs that don't occur at the expense of the characters, but rather, bring you closer to them. I personally identified with Matthew Modine's character, and found myself laughing in spite of myself at some of his mishaps and wondering "how did I ever survive being a teenager?"

Modine plays Birdy flawlessly. His character, while strange, is certainly believable and definitely likeable. He's like the visionary mystic friend I never had! Nicholas Cage is equally good as Al, Birdy's more down-to-earth lady's man friend. Their friendship seems unlikely on the outside, but powerful and inevitable by the end of the movie.

I think it's strange that some people didn't like the ending to Birdy. I think it's one of the best movie endings for a buddy film ever. It accurately reflects the tone of Birdy and Al's relationship more than any other ending possibly could. It ties their characters in the present in perfectly with the growing-up characters of the flashback sequences. Perfect!

Overrated

[Breumaster · 6/10 · 3 May 2020]

It's nice to follow the storry of these two men whose fate is linked by friendship. One go-getter and one introverted who loves birds as a symbol of his own whish to be free. The big deal about this movie is that it shows up how difficult it is, to help introverted people, on the other hand it is very long winded in some parts. If the end of the story was portrayed much clearer, I'd give it a higher rating. I would recommend it for mature minded people with much time.

Has Been Overlooked For Too Long:

[Galina_movie_fan · 9/10 · 23 August 2005]

"Birdy"is an outstanding character study with a well-written script that was directed by a very talented director (Alan Parker of "Pink Floyd The Wall", "Midnight Express", "Mississippi Burning", and "Angel Heart"). Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage both gave unforgettable performances in this dark, disturbing yet somehow uplifting story of two friends from South Philadelphia, Al (Cage) and Birdy (Modine in the performance that easily could be one of the best ever given by any actor on screen and sadly has been overlooked for too long). Birdy is an innocent and odd young man who has been always fascinated by birds and wanted to learn to fly. Both friends had to take a traumatic tour of duty in Vietnam that affected them tremendously – both physically and mentally. The film is not about Vietnam, though – it is a brilliant story of friendship and how far Al would go for his friend. The film has one of the most original and surprising endings ever.

Vivid disturbing and ultimately rewarding

[aramo1 · 7/10 · 19 January 2002]

Based on TV3 airing Jan 2002

This is a movie that deserves a second viewing. Cage is impressive as the young Al, Modine has the tougher job of portraying the innocent Birdy.

Some of the scenes are charming (take off in the rubbish tip), others are disturbing (bedroom after prom) while some are gory. All the while we are struggling to understand how the present came to be.

The ending is .. predictable and unexpected in equal measure.

7/10 well worth watching

The best ending I've ever seen...

[jkenny-2 · 10/10 · 1 June 2010]

I have only one thing to add about this movie, which I just watched for the first time. It has the MOST PERFECT ending of any movie ever! Those who say detracting things about the ending must not get it, must not have been paying attention! The director has been building up, so expertly, an incredible sense of tension whether or not Birdy's old neighborhood buddy will be able to reach his shattered mind. In the last split second, we find out. The abruptness is not a "gag"; it sums up the tale perfectly. Jeesh! Just think about it, would ya?...

What a great, realistic, thoughtful, touching flick! AND WHAT A GREAT ENDING!

They Do Not See Your Road To Freedom That You Build With Flesh And Bone

[ShootingShark · 6/10 · 25 February 2013]

Birdy is a young man growing up in Philadelphia in the nineteen-sixties who is obsessed with birds and thoughts of flight. He and his friend Al are sent to fight in Vietnam but are shipped back with both physical and mental wounds. As Birdy withdraws into a silent catatonia, can Al bring him out of his dream world ?

Based on a book by William Wharton, this tender character study of friendship, madness and the haunting effects of war is extremely well written and directed, and beautifully played by the two leads. How much you empathise with Birdy depends very much on your experiences I guess, but I find his devotion to learning to fly and his bewilderment at many of the ridiculous qualities of people very easy to identify with. He is a lunatic in the pure sense that as his obsession deepens the gulf between reality and his dreams doesn't matter to him, but he's a well-adjusted lunatic who understands other people but simply isn't interested in behaving like them. His concept that birds fly more through self-confidence and a respect for the properties of air (as opposed to more mundane issues like weight and velocity) is incredibly seductive and thought-provoking. The movie really makes you think about the damage society does to people, both on an everyday suburban level (Birdy's mother, Al's father) and a historical/global level (the horrors of combat). If it has a flaw it's that the lengthy scenes in the military sanitarium are grey, talky and inevitably one-sided, in sharp contrast to the vivid slice-of-life sections in Philly, all of which are full of humour and pathos (the dog-hunting sequence is particularly gleeful and horrible). Overall however it's extraordinarily beautiful - Michael Seresin's photography is haunting and absorbing, lingering over dark blue spaces and dirty backyards or soaring skyward as Birdy escapes into his fantasies. Equally powerful is Peter Gabriel's brooding, rich, esoteric sequencer music which (uniquely in film scoring history I think) was culled, reconceived and re-recorded from samples of songs from his previous two studio albums. The music lurks around every scene, mewling and pulsing like some animated force, providing a voice for Birdy's voiceless inner state. Cage and Modine are both excellent, with a fine support cast and a great troupe of animal actors who duly receive prominent credits - this must be the only film to employ a stunt canary. There were a slew of 'Nam films made in the mid-eighties (Hamburger Hill, Platoon, Gardens Of Stone) and whilst this fits that category it's about much more than just what's now referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder. It's about searching for an escape from everything, a point of view which brings extreme clarity and which no-one else can attain. A fine drama.

The one I waited for so long!

[dniq · 10/10 · 17 July 1999]

Once I've got the Peter Gabriel's "Birdy" album on the CD. It was so good and I enjoy it.

Today I have seen the Birdy movie itself. And now I don't know what to say, what even could I say...

This is the most impressive motion picture I ever seen! Believe me - if you didn't see the Birdy, you MUST do that! And you won't forget it till end of your life!

"Birds of the Same Feather Flock with Each Other"

[squeerelist · 6/10 · 11 June 2013]

I had great expectations for this Alan Parker movie that I have been meaning to watch for years. In my opinion, it is a classic that everybody should watch once but I also have mixed feelings about it. The plot is fairly simple. When 2 childhood friends come back from Vietnam among the casualties, one has lost it, the other is disfigured and will try to connect to his friend and bring him back from the crazies. In terms of harsh topics, Birdy is no testing ground for Parker. With this movie, the director deals with post-war mental and physical trauma as well as the struggle to fit in as a high schooler. On one hand, the combination of the Peter Gabriel-made soundtrack and the flying camera shots really convinced me. On the other, I thought it beats around the bush for quite a while. Nicolas Cage's monologues are a bit sketchy even though his overall performance is good. Matthew Modine makes a convincing quiet and deranged bird-lover. As I'm no war-movie enthusiast, I appreciate the fact that Birdy only shows a few war scenes. The plot is largely based on childhood flashbacks. Birdy is a good movie and I get satisfaction and personal pride to have watched it.

1 reason to watch: very few war scenes

Read it here: http://squeerelist.blogspot.com/2013/06/birdy-1984.html

A transcendent masterpiece

[Stay_away_from_the_Metropol · 10/10 · 21 March 2022]

This is the most insane and important movie I have watched in a long time. There are so many reasons why BIRDY is a legendary film. This is the epitome of the exact type of movie you will never see funded by Hollywood again. EVER AGAIN. I think I've had someone mention this movie to me maybe ONCE, or TWICE tops in my entire life, and it came out the year before I was born, in 1984.

First, let me hook you in by mentioning that through all the never-ending Nicolas Cage discourse our generation goes through, it is a disgrace that BIRDY is never mentioned. Outside of VALLEY GIRL, this was Nic Cage's first major role, and I would now place it in my Top 5 Nicolas Cage roles/movies (the others being Wild At Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Mandy, and Vampire's Kiss). You get a FULL dose of over-the-top dramatic Cage here, and it's colossal.

This movie has elevated director Alan Parker to my list of favorite film directors of all time. When I first saw MIDNIGHT EXPRESS about a decade ago, I'd originally checked it out because I was a fan of the iconic music score by Giorgio Moroder - though I noted that it was the first major thing Oliver Stone ever wrote, for some reason the director's name never stuck with me. Last year, I checked out the bizarre 1986 film ANGEL HEART and realized it was by the same guy who made MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. Though ANGEL HEART didn't quite reach the masterpiece status that MIDNIGHT EXPRESS and BIRDY did for me, it is still one that wholly stands out, and more importantly, a movie that I feel was a massive inspiration, if not the primary inspiration for one of my favorite films of all time, JACOB'S LADDER. In fact, after watching BIRDY, I'm feeling even more certain that director Adrian Lyne must have been a huge Alan Parker fan. Next on my Alan Parker list will be PINK FLOYD: THE WALL, which I still haven't seen! I've only heard how terrifying it is?!

As I churned through the first 20-30 minutes of BIRDY, I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a truly absurd movie. I dunno how seriously I will be able to take it but it is really impressing me with it's style and commitment, regardless". I figured I'd walk away chuckling, appreciating it for it's silliness, but still viewing it as an 8 out of 10 movie for it's craft and ridiculousness. But, as the movie carried on, it truly, truly sucks you in, and turns its own intentional madness into a tender rollercoaster ride which will leave you asking questions not just about the movie itself, but about your own emotions. I haven't seen a movie with such psychological complexity in a very long time. The concept, which seems so goofy and straightforward in the beginning, actually becomes more metaphorically complex with each scene at the film progresses. I almost couldn't believe how invested I was emotionally by the time I got the second half. To make such an absurd concept work this well is an absolute wonder.

The hauntingly beautiful music score began grabbing me from the very early parts of the film, but it only gets more lush and emotive as the film carries on. When it was over I looked it up and saw that it's by none other than the legend Peter Gabriel himself. I've heard many praise his music score for Last Temptation of Christ but had never heard this one mentioned. This one is light years above that one to me personally. This is an A+ film score... innovative, powerful, emotive, lush, dynamic, and perfectly complimentary. I will be listening to this score for the rest of my life.

Aside from Nic Cage we have one more lead, Matthew Modine, who puts in a phenomenal performance here. Really, really selling the psychopath you are rooting for. I knew I recognized him but wasn't sure why - he's one of the leads in Full Metal Jacket. By the end of this movie, you want to see this MF grow some wings and successfully fly away. Dude wants to be a bird - it has to be for a reason...I buy it.

BIRDY manages to feel like some form of hallucination or dream once you get deep enough into it. It has hills and valleys, from good times to very unexpected bad times, and it never stops mutating, but the whole thing feels entirely cohesive. It's a masterpiece beyond most movies - it doesn't just feel like a movie - it feels like more than that. It's its own bizarre, organic, living breathing thing. I guarantee that not everyone will see the value in it, but, to me, it's transcendent and it's already reaching a place where it retains some sort of "ancient magic". I'm so happy I watched it. (It's currently free on Amazon Prime).

7/10

[The_Wood · 7/10 · 20 January 2002]

Here's a movie where a lot of things work, but a few things don't, and those few things end up ruining the over-all flow of the film. What works: Fine acting by everyone, mostly Cage. I also enjoyed the rather unusual premise of a man who thinks he is a bird.

What doesn't work: The film feels too much like a film. During the flash back sequences, which dominate the film, there is never a real sense of reality. It looks like two teenage boys who know they are living their lives in front of an audience. You also know you're in trouble when the most emotional scene in a movie involves a death of a bird. No i'm not being sarcastic, its quite sad, but it's the only real emotional punch the film delivers.

One of the most anticlimactic endings of all time. Worth a watch though.

What a genuinely odd film!

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 18 November 2021]

"Birdy" is a very strange film...one of the strangest ones I've ever seen. While it's not as strange as "Eraserhead", or "El Topo", it's awfully weird and will clearly NOT appeal to all viewers...or even most.

The story bounces back and forth though flashbacks. It seems that in high school, Al (Nicolas Cage) and Birdy (Matthew Modine) were very different but somehow became friends. Al liked girls and sports...and Birdy was just a misfit who cared about birds WAY too much. In fact, he was obsessed by them and their ability to fly...and over time it's obvious he wishes he could be one. In other words, Birdy just is not right!

Time passes and both young men are sent to Vietnam to fight. Al is badly injured and has naturally has a case of PTSD but Birdy's mental illness is more confusing. He was missing in action for a month and when he was discovered, he was practically comatose and unresponsive. Over time, Birdy has remained this way and out of desperation, the doctor in charge of Birdy's case at the hospital calls in Al to try to get through to him. And, much of the film consists of various flashbacks as either Al tells stories to Birdy about their youth or Birdy remembers his sick obsession about being a bird. Oddly, Al pretends to the doctor that Birdy was normal before the war...when you actually wonder if Birdy might have lost his mind even without the Vietnam War.

This is a film where I can respect what the actors did and tried to do but the film itself is just too bizarre and slow to be one I'd heartily recommend. I think there are some metaphors going on here in the story, but with my background as a mental health therapist, I just got stuck on the fact that Birdy was showing considerable signs of schizophrenia way before the war...and the experiences in Vietnam just pushed him over the edge.

Overall, a truly strange viewing experience....one for a very select audience. I give it a 4 mostly because of the excellent acting. The story itself...well, let's just say it's an acquired taste that I just couldn't acquire. I did, however, like the ending...another reason I decided to raise the score to 4.

Took me 25 yrs to get round to seeing this, and WOW!

[ABThomas · 23 July 2011]

I can't believe I took so long to get round to seeing this AMAZING FILM!

It captivated me from the start, beautifully filmed, powerful, sensitive, funny - Incredibly acted by Modine and Cage!

I would like to thank the reviewer that warned about the animal cruelty in 1 scene - I 'think' it was just after the stray dog scene, but I fast forwarded it a littler bit, so didn't seeing anything upsetting.

This film is a must see for any avid movie lover, and yes the ended was AWESOME!

10 out 10, and i'm going on to Amazon to buy a copy.

Enjoy!