Trailers & Videos

Theatrical Trailer

Michael Schlesinger on BIRD

Bird Wins Best Sound: 1989 Oscars
Cast

Forest Whitaker
Charlie 'Bird' Parker

Diane Venora
Chan Parker

Michael Zelniker
Red Rodney

Samuel E. Wright
Dizzy Gillespie

Keith David
Buster Franklin

Michael McGuire
Brewster

James Handy
Esteves

Damon Whitaker
Young Bird

Arlen Dean Snyder
Dr. Heath

Sam Robards
Moscowitz

George Orrison
Patient with Checkers

Bill Cobbs
Dr. Caulfield

Hamilton Camp
Mayor of 52nd Street

Joey Green
Gene

Tony Todd
Frog

Jo De Winter
Mildred Berg

Anna Thomson
Audrey

Al Pugliese
Owner - Three Deuces
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Reviews
r96sk
I personally found 'Bird' - directed by Clint Eastwood - to be an absolute slog to sit through.
It's an interesting story no doubt, but it's told in the most mundane and boring way possible. I didn't know anything about Charlie Parker beforehand, which is what kept that aforementioned interest there. I'm no jazz fan either, but I am always happy to listen to it when it comes up though.
Despite that, I just couldn't get into the film itself. It just felt like it was 160 minutes (!) worth of the following on repeat: performance, drunk and/or depressed, performance, drunk and/or depressed etc. I didn't feel like I was learning anything about Parker and his life. I literally gave an internal cheer when the credits finally rolled around.
I do enjoy Forest Whitaker as an actor and he is probably the reason I'm not rating this lower. As for the rest, I don't even recall any of them - though I'm putting that down to what I've already noted, as opposed to the cast themselves who I'm sure tried their upmost.
Way too long, in short. As I said it's an intriguing person to make a film about, an around 100 minute production would've been perfect in my opinion. A shame, all in all.
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