Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarittu's Birdman is a bold and beautiful movie that's probably best left for adults and the most mature teens. It's thorny and forceful in the best ways possible; its power lies in its unequivocal attempts to address questions about identity, failure, and relevancy. Characters fight brashly and aren't afraid to push one another's buttons. The lead character plummets to the depths of despair; he flails, drinks, smokes pot, gets vicious in verbal fights, and flails some more. The play he's producing has scenes in which a gun goes off and actors threaten each other. There's also plenty of swearing, from "a--hole" to "f--k," as well as some kissing and a scene in which an underwear-clad actor gets an erection while on stage during a play.
Sexual
Content
An actor gets an erection in the middle of a play; he's on stage in his underwear, so it's clearly evident. Another actor is shown in his underwear while getting ready in his dressing room, and another takes off his pants and is wearing nothing underneath (his behind is seen). A woman makes a pass at her co-star and kisses her. Seductive talk between a young woman and a much older man. Couples kiss.
Violence
A man brandishes a gun. He and a woman (separately) stand or sit on the precipice of a building. A stage light falls from overhead and conks out an actor (his head is bloody). Actors throw fits both on and off stage, throwing things around, punching each other, and generally losing it. A gun goes off during a play.
Language
Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "son of a bitch," "a--hole," and more.
Social
Behavior
Go big, or go home. And be kind to yourself, because you can be your own worst enemy. Addresses big, thorny questions about identity, failure, and relevancy.
Consumerism
Theater marquees show names for actual shows, including Phantom of the Opera. Other products/brands shown include Starbucks, X-Men, Avengers, Twitter, and Facebook.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Lots of drinking. One character progressively gets more reliant on booze to get through the day. He's also shown smoking pot while his daughter is staying with him. Characters smoke cigarettes on rooftops and on the streets.
