Customer Reviews

The Birdcage (Widescreen/Full Screen)

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

"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.

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!

The perfect remedy for the January blues. I never get sick of watching this film. Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria are priceless and hysterically funny (the whole cast is wonderful)and the film sends out a positive message on the subject of prejudice and tolerance.

Hilarious! I had been looking for it for awhile and got it the next day through Amazon - great service and a great price!

This is one of my favorites... Nathan Lane is -- pardon the expression -- "screaming-ly" funny as Albert, half of the gay couple whose son returns home from college to announce his engagement to the daughter of ultra-conservative Senator Keeley (fabulously fleshed out by Gene Hackman, whose comedic timing and delivery is superb!). Robin Williams low-key characterization of Armand is the perfect foil for Lane's "to the hilt" performance. Diane Wiest shines as the Senator's dutiful political wife, while Hank Azaria is Armand's and Albert's "hot" Guatemalan house-man/showgirl wanna-be. Nichol's great directing, a fabulous script and the inspired casting make a terrifically entertaining film. It's just so much fun to watch!--- Love it!

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

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.

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.

"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"!

"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.