The Birdcage

Rating:
Summary: Yet Another Great Gay Comedy
Review: "The Birdcage" is a great comedy release of 1996. It stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Calista Flockhart, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, and others. Before its release, few other movies explores gay issues or themes, having such box-office success (remember, this is before "Will And Grace" started). Therefore, this earns the cast and crew tremendous respect for their daring efforts. The plot writing is brilliant! Its great, unique humor keeps audiences interested from beginning to end. As many surprises arise, the dramatic vibes always arise at the perfect time, namely the scene when one of the fathers, Armand, refuses to speak to his son, Val, for a while because of demands to make him more "straight looking". In the meantime, the story of Val's fiance's family traveling hundreds of miles to meet the future in-laws adds to the humorous and interesting movie experience. However, her father is an ultra-conservative politician. Therefore, to gain his approval, Armand must portray a heterosexual, and his long-time boyfriend and Val's other father, Albert, must pretend to not exist. Throughout this struggle, numerous emotional breakdowns occur that will capture the audience's heart. The drag show performances add to the movie's excitement, offering an artistic and deeper look into the characters. Every characters' personalities add their own certain movie vibe.

Every actor offers their own sense of humor through this movie, which proves that the chemistry between the actors and the movie is perfect. Nathan Lane capitalizes the comedy sense. His flamboyant portrayal of Albert stands out throughout the whole movie. Robin Williams expresses his comedic and his dramatic side perfectly in his role of Armand. His studying of his character's lifestyle is obvious. Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Calista Flockhart, Dan Futterman, and all other actors performed their roles equally wonderfully.

"The Birdcage" is a great movie for those looking for a great comedy and/or a great gay pride theme. This will surely entertain many audiences. Such movie quality is only one characteristic that makes it destined to become a classic in the following years.

Rating:
Summary: Silly
Review: This is just plain silly I loved it the first time I saw it but the second time I saw it I just kept thinking that the son was a real jerk about his father's companion it just seems rude to be like that and he keeps saying that oh I love him but it seems like he has a funny way of showing it. Also this is one of the few movies with Calista Flockhart that I can stand to watch I guess it is because the storyline is not centered around her so it is not a majorly dramatic story that makes you just want to freak out and leave the room. I would recomend this movie to all adults and late teenagers otherwise they would not understand the jokes and would be bored to death I also would advise you beforehand to watch any John Wayne movie you will crack up through The Birdcage if you do! I hope that this review has helped you make your decision in this movie!

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Comedy of All-Time
Review: "The Birdcage" is unmistakenably the greatest comedy of all-time. The hilarity of this movie is incredible. It is truly a laugh-a-second! A masterful work by thr great director Mike Nichols.

The movie is a re-make of the great French comedy "La Cage Auz Follies". The story revolves around a gay couple, Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert (the imcomparable Nathan Lane). Armand is the owner of a night-club...and Albert is the star, as his "drag-self- Starina. Well, Armand's son has announced he is getting married. Not so bad...except that the girl is the daughter of the ultra-conservative, homophobic Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman), who has just recieved,well, VERY bad news from his campaign manager. His wife is played by Diane Wiest. When the families meet, the results are insanely hillarious!!!

Many would expect Robin Williams to be the most outrageously funny character in this movie. However, that honour goes to Nathan Lane (who became a household name thanks to this movie). Lane is superb as Albert...the very feminine and fragile night-club queen. Lane is just extroidinary...one of the best comedic actors of our time. That's not to say that Williams isn't fabulous, but Lane is without a doubt the actor whose talents shine throughout this movie. Hackman is also extremely funny as the right-wing Senator. And Wiest is a wonderful commidienne.

However, at some points in the movie, the four of them are not the funniest character in the room. Hank Azaria, proabably one of the greatest character actors of all-time, is scene-stealing as the house-maid, Agador. He is just incredible. He had me laughing at every line he said. it is a shame is is not given more roles like this. He is a stand-out. Christine Baranski, a theater veteran, is also superb as Val's (Armand's son) biological mother.

Believe me, "The Birdcage" will become one of your favorite movies. Often, when someone is over at the house and we are trying to decide what movie to watch, I ask them if they have seen "The Birdcage". If they answer no, I get them to watch it, even though they usually are relunctant, since the plot centers around two gay men. However, it always becomes an instant favorie of theirs.

BELIEVE ME- YOU WILL LOVE THIS CLASSIC, "THE BIRDCAGE"!

Rating:
Summary: A Witty Comedy with Class and Sensitivity
Review: "The Birdcage." What can I say? This is simply a great comedy. While I was drawn to this film to see Robin Williams, I have to say that Nathan Lane steals the show. His performance in this film both speaks to his incredible comedic sensibility, but also the compassion and affection he brings to the role of a gay partner. The script is absolutely wonderful in sections-some of the lines ("Try more gum!") are absolutely delightful and one can bust a gut from the interaction between Lane and Williams. The climax of the film, the dinner sequence, is a riot. The tension between the overly conservative Keeley family and the free-loving Goldman's creates an atmosphere in which everything has comedic potential.

Val Goldman (played by Dan Futterman) is the disappointment of the film. His character lacks integrity the entire film and then, all of a sudden, he grows a backbone and is rewarded for it immensely. But he only lives up to his principles after having his plans dashed. Is there true integrity in this? But his performance is well atoned for by Lane and by Gene Hackman. His portrayal of a conservative senator is absolutely spot-on and his timing is wonderful-a perfect straight man.

With all of its humor and, at time, touching moments, there is something for everyone to like about this film. It portrays the interesting friction between homosexual and heterosexual lifestyles with a sensitivity that is lacking in many films dealing with these gender issues. "The Birdcage" is a refreshing comedy among the lackluster offerings in recent years. Go see it.

Rating:
Summary: almost too funny for words!
Review: This is one of those movies you can watch again & again, and continue to laugh at each viewing! Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are wonderful, as is the entire cast! Have fun! Watch it again if you have the chance!

Rating:
Summary: WOW this is a funny movie !!!!
Review: This is one of the funniest movies it has been my pleasure to see in some time. I totally enjoyed the film and feel the acting was outstanding. The plot is outlined in other reviews, so I'll just say that this movie was good entertainment and the story is funny as heck. It's important for movies like this to be out so the majority can be entertained and the 1 in 10 folks can know that they are not alone, where ever they are. It's all good. Get this film and roar out loud. Doen't be hating

Rating:
Summary: much better than i expected!
Review: A film by Mike Nichols

I wasn't initially excited or interested in seeing this movie, but after being repeatedly told that it is a really good and really funny movie, I rented it. Good decision. I was surprised by just how good this movie really is and even more surprised by how much I ended up liking it.

Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) is the owner of a gay nightclub where his partner, Albert (Nathan Lane) is the star of the show. Armand's son Val (Dan Futterman) comes to town and tells his father that he is getting married. Val is marrying a young woman named Barb Keeley (Calista Flockhart). This would not cause any problems except that her father is the ultra-conservative senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman). Senator Keeley is the co-founder on a group expounding a highly conservative morality and this would present some conflict in the relationship. What really causes conflict is that Barb and her parents are driving down to Florida and will be having a dinner with Val's family. He tells Armand that the entire house must be re-decorated to look less gay and that Albert can't be there because there is no way to hide his gayness (Albert is so overtly gay that there is no possible behavior modification that would work. Albert is who he is). The movie has Val trying to hide who his father is, and we do see Armand uncomfortable with that, but he also loves his son and wants everything to work out for Val. Senator Keeley and family finally does arrive and naturally there is still some evasion until something happens and there is no longer any way to hide the truth.

This movie is funny all the way through. Albert is so incredibly flamboyant, but lovable, and it is a joy to watch him onscreen doing his thing. I can't think of any problems that I had with the cast, everyone was spot on. Obviously this movie is supportive of a homosexual lifestyle, so if that is the sort of thing that bothers you, this movie is not for you. The Birdcage shoots barbs at the conservative moral ideals, but it does so in a very funny manner. It is over the top, flamboyant, and all around funny and it is worth your time to give The Birdcage a chance. It also features a scene stealing Hank Azaria as the housekeeper Agador.

Rating:
Summary: Trapped in a bad bird cage
Review: The only things good about this film are Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. They are two naturally funny comics that can make almost any film funny. Almost. These guys are funny but a good film consists of more than just two funny guys. They work overtime trying to make us laugh in "The Birdcage" but it feels far too forced so essentially their performances fall flat.

The worst part of this film is that the premise is dated. Even when it was released in 1996, the idea of a conservative Senator going to a meet-and-greet dinner party where the father and "mother" of the son are homosexuals, would hardly even raise an eyebrow in today's "homosexual-tolerant" society.

But the part that I find most distrubing about "The Birdcage" is that that the filmmakers use this film as a vehicle to spout their anti-conservative, pro-left-wing elitism. They use this film to promote homosexuality as an alternative family lifestyle, which I particularly don't care about, and then attack anyone who would dare have feelings contrary to that train of thought. The film portrays anyone who feels contrary to the homosexual lifestyle as a bigot and basically nothing more than a skin-head.

So aside from the film not being funny, it also sets itself up as a hate film where the targets are anyone that disagree with the homosexual lifestyle.

I can't even recommend this film on a curiosity level.

Rating:
Summary: These Caged Birds Will Make You Laugh!
Review: Mike Nichols who gave us THE GRADUATE, CARNAL KNOWLEDGE and PRIMARY COLORS here directs one of the funniest movies to come out in years. (Elaine May wrote the screenplay.)In this production, a remake of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and set in Miami Beach, Robin Williams and Nathan Lane run a gay nightclub where Nathan does drag nightly. They lock horns with a conservative senator played by Gene Hackman when Williams' son decides to marry the senator's daughter.

There is a laugh a minute in this really great movie. Every actor is superb from Robin Williams to Hank Azaria who plays the gay butler of course. The gay characters have ever gesture down perfectly from fey, Williams in his peach trousers, to feyer, Nathan Lane to feyest, Hank Azaria as Agador. Even if rest of the movie didn't keep you laughing, the finale will make you hoot.

I read somewhere that Nichols wanted to present gay characters as real, sympathetic people. He more than achieves his goal in this delicious movie.

Rating:
Summary: A Mediocre Copy
Review: Birdcage is an American remake of the French classic La Cage Aux Folles, and if you have seen the original movie then you will be sorely disappointed with Birdcage.
Although the film has fine cast, including Nathan Lane( playing Michel Serrault's camp Albin part) and the always excellent Robin Williams (playing Ugo Tognazzi's Renato part), the film
suffers from one major flaw, it is nowhere near as funny as La Cage Aux Folles, and no matter how good an actor Lane is, no one can honestly come close to playing the camp Albin as good as Michel Serrault did. So for those of us who have seen the original film and can't help but comparing the two, that poses a big problem.
Secondly, it is a Hollywood tradition to adapt great French movies, but to 'adapt' is one thing, to 'copy' is something else altogether. This copying tradition has been repeated many times, most notably with Assasin,a scene by scene copy of La Femme Nikita. Now maybe the producers assume that not many viewers watch 'foreign arty' films and as such they can get away with their free adaptation, but there are many of us out there who do, and much more in the age of reasonably priced DVDs available at your doorstep at a click.
So for those who have not seen La Cage Aux Folles, you should check the original French movie for some serious laughs and look in awe at no less than a genuis performance by Serrault, and just hope that in the future, whenever Hollywood wants to adapt other 'foreign' movies, it would be just that,to Adapt.