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The Birdcage

1996

Mike Nichols

Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest ...

6.4

15,583

Comedy Armand Goldman owns a popular drag nightclub in South Miami Beach. His long-time lover Albert stars there as Starina. "Their" son Val (actually Armand's by his one heterosexual fling, twenty years before) comes home to announce his engagement to Barbara Keely, daughter of Kevin Keely, US Senator, and vice president of the Committee for Moral Order. The Senator and family descend upon South Beach to meet Val and his father and ... [+]

	Author	Review
United States	Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader	"This isn't the supreme masterpiece it might have been, but Nichols's direction is very polished and some of the lines and details are awfully funny"	POS
United States	Todd McCarthy Variety	"Performed with matchless aplomb and made with plush professionalism, pic serves up pure pleasure from beginning to end"	POS
United States	Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times	"Not without its funny moments, much of Birdcage seems pro forma and predictable. What felt original in 1978 is no longer half so inspired"	NEG
United States	Janet Maslin The New York Times	"This is one of [Williams's] most cohesive and least antic performances. It's also a mischievously funny one: He does a fine job of integrating gag lines with semiserious acting"	POS
United States	Hal Hinson The Washington Post	"One of the loopiest, most hysterical family-values movies ever made (...) However, there's nothing subtle about the movie's message of inclusivenes"	NEU
United States	Roger Ebert rogerebert.com	"What makes Mike Nichols' version more than just a retread is good casting in the key roles, and a wicked screenplay by Elaine May, who keeps the original story but adds little zingers here and there (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Emily Maskell BBC	"What's impressive is how relatively progressive 'The Birdcage' still feels, within the context of mainstream cinema, in its treatment of queerness"	POS
United Kingdom	Caroline Westbrook Empire	"It undoubtedly remains a genial crowd pleaser. If the dress fits, wear it (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"	POS

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