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Birdy

Birdy

Drama · War · 1984

Two young men are seriously affected by the Vietnam War. One of them has always been obsessed with birds - but now believes he really is a bird, and has been sent to a mental hospital. Can his friend help him pull through?

Movie details

Birdy

“A soaring experience unlike anything you've ever seen before.”

1984 Drama · War 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

Two young men are seriously affected by the Vietnam War. One of them has always been obsessed with birds - but now believes he really is a bird, and has been sent to a mental hospital. Can his friend help him pull through?

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Birdy?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Casualties of War

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Heaven & Earth

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In a small Vietnamese village torn apart by war, a young woman faces unimaginable horrors before deciding to escape to the city. There, she encounters a compassionate Marine who offers her hope and a chance at a new life, igniting the possibility of a future together.

Apocalypse Now

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Gardens of Stone

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Behold a Pale Horse

Behold a Pale Horse

Drama · 1964

Manuel Artiguez, a famous bandit during the Spanish civil war, has lived in French exile for 20 years. When his mother is dying he considers visiting her secretly in his Spanish home town. But his biggest enemy, the Spanish police officer Vinolas, prepared a trap at the hospital as a chance to finally catch Artiguez.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Alan Parker

Written by

Sandy Kroopf · Jack Behr

Matthew Modine

Matthew Modine

Birdy

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage

Sergeant Al Columbato

John Harkins

John Harkins

Doctor Major Weiss

Sandy Baron

Sandy Baron

Mr. Columbato

Karen Young

Karen Young

Hannah Rourke

Bruno Kirby

Bruno Kirby

Renaldi

Nancy Fish

Nancy Fish

Mrs. Prevost

Court is in session

Put Birdy on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.