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The Birdcage Movie Review

The Birdcage is a 1996 comedy film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. It’s a very funny, endearing movie.

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“It looks like young men playing leap frog“

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A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée’s right-wing moralistic parents. This is one of the gayest movies of the nineties, literally, and I loved every second of it. Certainly the plot and especially the conclusion are quite clichéd, but the journey is worth it as it’s so much fun.

This was a very strong depiction of gay men, even though it may seem stereotypical at first. Sure, the drag queen is there, but his partner is less theatrical and campy, and the two as a couple are terrific in what they represent. Yes, the center gay couple literally acts as a married couple even if gay marriage did not exist back then.

There is a lot to be said about the conservatism of this movie and how crucial this type of depiction was for the straight audiences to gain more acceptance toward the LGBT community. Not only is the center couple married and loyal, but they also have a son whom they love deeply and will do everything to make him happy. The eventual conclusion, though unrealistic, was perfect in that fairy tale realm as it saw the conservatives and liberals, the gays and straights reunite over their mutual family values.

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Let’s talk about these amazing performers. They are the reason why this flick is being celebrated all these years later. Christine Baranski got a very small role, but she was memorable in the little screen time that she got. Hank Azaria is also quite amusing as the goofy and dumb Agador Spartacus. Simply that ridiculous name repeated throughout the movie made me laugh many times.

Dianne Wiest is very good, but it is Gene Hackman who is the more memorable part of the Keeley family. His interactions with Lane were incredibly well thought out and executed. Their dynamic is superb. Robin Williams is reliably strong in a role that is more that of a straight man than a full-on caricature. It’s interesting how this is one of the rare times that he played more of a dramatic character in a comedy movie. He was the necessary calmer part of the main duo and their interactions are continually sweet, but also very funny.

Nathan Lane is the main reason to see this film. He is the star here as he is very memorable as Starina the drag queen, but also human and warm as Albert. Albert and Armand have a wonderful, important relationship and Lane is the goofier, funnier man here. In particular, Lane’s facial expressions were incredible and his hysterical and pathetic outbursts were the highlights.

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The Birdcage as a movie does have a familiar narrative and many obvious plot points, but at least the energy is consistently there and the result is a widely entertaining movie that can appeal to any fan of comedies and also screwball comedies as it has that old-fashioned air to it. The dialogue is fantastic and many lines are instant classics. The costumes and the music are both phenomenal. I just wish that the direction and script were more authentic.

The Birdcage definitely is predictable in most of its plot points, but this is a great example of a comedy where the performers elevate the material to greater heights. Hackman and Williams are excellent, but it is Lane who is hilarious throughout. The dialogue is iconic with many classic lines while the humor has that classic screwball quality to it. It’s a familiar, but fun and charming flick that was also interesting and quite important in instilling the more traditional family values into a colorful, campy surrounding.

My Rating – 4