Rating: 
Summary: Funny Williams, Superb Nathan Lane
Review: American audiences flocked to this remake of the French classic, "La Cage Aux Folles" - perhaps the funniest comedy ever released in ANY language. It's no surprise that the US viewer could easily lose his or herself in this laugh riot, especially with the incomparable Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in starring roles. Lane is delicious here as the top billed female impersonator and star at Birdcage, a drag extravaganza club owned by his better half Williams. While Williams tones down his Mork routine and actually softens as a result, as funny as he his, Lane steals the movie, with a warm, knowing performance that ranks up there with STeve Martin in "All of Me" as one of the best comedic works ever on film. Dan Futterman (brilliant in "Urbania") plays Williams' son with the right mix of charm and apprehension, while Calista Flockhart (yes, Ally McBeal herself) is strong as his fiance. And that's Hank Azaria (of "The Simpsons" and the ex-Mr. Helen Hunt) as the butler, in a HYSTERICAL mode. Gene Hackman is a hoot as the bride-to-be's right-wing Jesse Helms-like character...and his final scene in drag (think Robert Preston in "Victor Victoria" mixed with Martin Landau in "Ed Wood") alone deserved Oscar consideration. Both Hackman and Lane were robbed at Award time, unlike Ugo Tognazzi (who played the Robin Williams role in the original) who scored an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Williams doesn't come close to achieving Tognazzi's utter sincerity and charm, but the movie works regardless. If you've seen and enjoyed the "Birdcage" do yourself a HUGE favor - suspend all fears about reading subtitles and rent thyself "La Cage Aux Folles" (part ONE, not part TWO, which is a poor continuation.) Even in French - perhaps even more as a result of being in French - "La Cage" soars now as it did long before the "Birdcage" was let out of the bag. Its universal themes speak to us in ANY language, but on-screen, the chemistry between its two main characters (indeed, their "marriage" and intimacy) is exceptional - laugh-out-loud funny, utterly winning and full of life. Whereas both Lane and Williams at times seem to be floating through the material, the actors in "La Cage" are clearly taking major risks, especially 20+ years ago when it was first released to wide acclaim. They swish and bicker themselves into your heart and soul, physically and emotionally transforming themselves into shadow images of ANY mom-and-pop couple I've ever known, whether hetero or not. "La Cage" is flawless. If you've seen La "Birdcage" experience this one-of-a-kind masterpiece and you'll be rewarded with a raw and rowdy comedy that's pure genius.
Rating: 
Summary: Dysfuctional Snobs Meet Harmoneous "Non-Traditional Family"
Review: Robin Williams and Nathan Lane have great "chemistry" as middle aged gay couple faced with a biggie: Their 20 year old son wants to get married and needs his "parents" to put on a phoney pretense for the ultra-conservative in-laws coming for a short-notice visit. Gene Hackman is fantastic as the right wing politician desperate to escape a career threatening scandal. Just to see him in drag at the end is worth the price for this DVD. Both the opening scene and the final scene are priceless. Inbetween you'll find a big barrel of laughs. This is a very funny film, and despite the "controversial" subject-matter, a family movie! -- The undelying message that a "non-traditional family" can be more loving and nurturing than a dysfuctional "traditional family" is a bit burried under all of the laughs. Though dealt with through great comedy, it is a serious matter to ponder. It makes us re-think what exactly we mean by "family values".
Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorites!
Review: Nathan Lane + Hank Azaria + Robin Williams + Gene Hackman + Dianne Wiest = Hilarious Comedy. Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria especially stole the show for me. Lane's screaming and Azaria's accent make this a must see. Dan Futterman does get on my nerves a bit in this movie. It's his attitude towards Nathan Lane's character. It's a bit demanding and very ungrateful. Other than that, this movie is as good as they come. I highly recommend this.
Rating:
Summary: Nathan Lane and Robin Williams! Wonderful Casting!
Review: One of the funniest movies that I have seen in ages! Robin Williams is not the funny one here, it is Nathan Lane's character, Albert, that gets the most laughs. This movie has made me a life-long Nathan Lane fan. Both Williams (whose character is Armand Goldman) and Lane play gay men, with William's role being the dominant or male character. Since I am not gay, it is hard for me to define gender definitions of gay couples, but in this movie, there can be no missing the fact that Lane is the female side of the couple. When William's son comes to tell Dad of his impending marriage to a young woman (played admirably by Calista Flockhart) and to plead with Dad to pretend to be straight when he meets the girl's parents, as her father is a very straightlaced Senator in D.C.(played by Gene Hackman),trouble starts, in the form of hurt feelings and feelings of rejection to the other member of the relationship, namely, Albert. All kinds of solutions are considered to try and work him in to the charade, but he is so blatantly what he is, a gay man who is a female impersonator, but more female in his real self image than he is male, then it is nigh on to impossible to have him pose as an "uncle" or any male person, though he does try to adapt, with a few lessons on "maleness" from Armand, but he is incapable of being anything other than what he is, so they don't know what to do with him, how to explain him, and he refuses to just go away and be quiet until the wedding is over.
The ensuing struggle between the characters to remain true to who they are and each other, and yet not mess things up for the young couple is hilarious! The supporting actors are as good as the stars in this movie. The wonderful Christine Baranski plays the biological "real" Mother of the son, whom she has given up to Armand, his biological father, to raise, and does not even know her son, but is willing to help in his time of needing a "normal" Mother. This causes some problems also, because Albert (the Lane character) is jealous of the relationship she has with Armand. Hank Azaria is superb in his role of Agador, the Guatemalan housekeeper, as well as the best looking male in the cast! The usually serious Gene Hackman as the "Father of the Bride" proves that he can do comedy as well as serious drama, and so does Diane Weist, the "Mother of the Bride." They have their own problems, unknown to Armand and Albert, trying to allude the press and escape D.C. undetected because of a recent scandal in the Senator's cabinet concerning one of his cronies and an underage hooker. Their way of dealing with their pursuers assures that the movie is hilarious to the very last scene! This is one of a very few movies that I can watch over and over, and never tire of it. In my opinion, it is the best characters that Williams and Lane have ever played. It is the roles that I have liked best in all of the movies that I have seen them in. I love this movie!!
Rating:
Summary: A Funny Movie Starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.
Review: I'm a girl who has seen several movies starring Robin Williams and I watched the Birdcage about two or three times and I liked it and thought it was funny and I think this is one of Robin Williams best movies and one of Nathan Lanes best movies. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane were both great as gay couple Armand and Albert but Nathan Lane was delightfuly over the top in his scene stealing performance as Albert but also good in this movie is Gene Hackman (The French Connection), and I also thought Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, Christine Baranski (Cybill, Hank Azaria (Tuesdays with Morrie were good too and I recommend this movie to fans of these actors. I had this movie on tape, taped it from one of those movie channels but since it was just in pan & scan and we now have a DVD player I taped over it with episodes of a TV show and I plan on buying this DVD because it has the movie in widescreen.
Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: Some days you just gotta laugh. This movie was a laugh a minute ("It looks like they're playing leapfrog...") despite itself. And no, it's not just because Robin Williams plays gay-trying-to-be-straight, and Gene Hackman plays a rabid right-wing homophobe. The performances of Williams, Nathan Lane, Hackman, and Diane Lane were superb. What a wonderful ensemble with such hilarious results! Christine Baranski is always a delightful addition, as is Dan Futterman. And Calista Flockhart in her pre-Ally days proves she actually does do more than the stuttering-lawyer gimmick. Viewers need to walk outside the shoes of the characters to enjoy the movie. I know that, if I were a gay parent who was told by my son to "not be so gay" when meeting the future daughter-in-law's parents, I would be ... a little upset (understatement). While one can appreciate that Williams's love for his son compels him to comply with that request, it still smarts. Anyway, I do recommend this movie as an entertaining departure from reality and laugh-a-minute.
Rating:
Summary: Give Your Funny Bone A Workout
Review: While Robin Williams is the focal point for this hilarious comedy, it's Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria who steal the show. Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) and his partner Albert (Nathan Lane) have raised Armand's son Val (Dan Futterman) with the able assistance of their Guatemalan star-wannabe houseman Agador (Hank Azaria). Armand is the gay owner of the drag club, The Birdcage, located in South Beach, Florida. Albert is the screaming queen who is the club's headliner. Val returns home from college to announce that he's going to marry Barbara (Calista Flockhart), who just happens to be the daughter of ultra-conservative Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman) and his lovely wife Louise (Dianne Wiest). The fun begins when Val announces that Barbara's parents are coming over for a visit - tomorrow. How can gay, Jewish drag club owner Armand Goldman turn into straight, Cultural Attaché to Greece Armand Coleman overnight? What to do about Albert? Where can you find a real woman when you need one? What is Guatemalan Peasant Soup? What is Agador's problem with shoes? Just what IS that china pattern? And how do you get the Senator and his family out of sight before the press descends on them like vultures? All are answered in this sidesplitting movie that is a "must see".
Rating:
Summary: Good comedy about "gayety"
Review:
Robin Williams and Gene Hackman team up to give us rollicking comedy. Hackman plays a a radical right-wing Republican senator whose daughter is about to marry the son of a homosexual Robin Williams) who has a flaming live in partner. The humor revolves around the gay couple trying to act straight while hosting dinner for the senator and his wife. Williams' gay partner does a female impersonation for the benefit of the dinner.
The press is caught up in the plot when, as the National Inquirer reporter says, "those vultures" of the national media show up with their TV cameras. The ensuing scenes, when the despicable conservative senator escapes the press in drag, thus justifying the stereotypical right-wing idiot. Hackman plays his part flawlessly, and it is a funny movie. One unintended Hollywood message is the problems caused by trying to raise normal kids with a same-sex couple as "parents", usually deftly ignored under the present situation, with gays pushing for same-sex marriage on a nationwide campaign. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
Rating: 
Summary: Classic hate-mongering ala left-wing style
Review: If ever there was a film written to appeal to the left-wing, hate-monger, this one is it. But worse is that the jokes are so obvious that you see them coming a mile away.
Robin Williams is subdued in this film while Nathan Lane pereforms well. Nevertheless, the humor is bent upon hate-mongering and obvious attacks on anyone that would question a drag queen's lifestyle. And the topics are actually not even applicable now nor were they very appropriate for when the film was "updated". The left-wing humor is devoid of any serious thought and so geared towards making anyone not a gay character, an utter single-minded fool that you imagine some anti-heterosexual group must have volunteered for audience testing. Sadly, this is the way the left-wing thinks and this is also why the film fails to win any real fanbase outside of people who hate conservatives. The screenwriters fail to understand that the mindsets portrayed are not normal and there comes a point when making fun of another person's thought-process is not just dumb, it's mean, hateful, and despicable. If the characters were painted in the reverse, gay and lesbians would have been picketing theaters for weeks, that is assuming the film ever got made in today's left-wing Hollywood environment. So, if you're looking for laughs, look elsewhere because they are hard to come by in this film and you'll most likely resent having wasted your money on this box office bomb. Yes, the box office numbers tell the real story and that is, the film fell deservingly flat on its' face.
Rating:
Summary: A funny, thoughful favourite
Review: I'll give any movie with Robin Williams a try. I had no idea how incredibly funny Nathan Lane was until I saw the two of them together in the Birdcage. What I love about Williams is the underlying kindness and affection he brings to his comedy roles. Underneath the laughter, there is a great deal of quiet tenderness, and the Birdcage is no exception. I was talking about it with my 60 year old mother who mentioned that it remains one of her favourite films as well. At the time she first saw it, she had never known anyone she knew was gay. She found the obvious long term devotion between the characters touching and very "real". There is a quiet scene on a bench where the deep affection between Albert and Armand is impossible to ignore, and my mother said that is what she thinks of now when she hears people spouting off about how "depraved" gay relationships are. A movie that delivers that kind of gentle message, along with enough laughter to make an audience roar, is a rare gem.
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