Bird
1988 · Movie · R · 161 min · ★ 6.9 · 81% critics
A saxophone player arrives in New York in 1940 and quickly earns attention for his extraordinary playing. As his fame grows, he battles drug addiction, while his wife works to support and help him through his personal struggles.
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Details
- Years
- 1988
- Release date
- 1988-06-01
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 161 min
- Critic score
- 81/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.9/10 (352 votes)
About
If you want a serious jazz-focused biopic with intense personal struggle and strong performances, you may like Bird; Not for you if you dislike long, downbeat stories or prefer a more music-forward film like 'Round Midnight.
Pros: sensitive portrayal; standout lead performance; great jazz music | Cons: overly long runtime; repetitive downbeat tone; unfocused for non-fans
Themes
- jazz
- heroin
- saxophone
- biography
- psychiatric hospital
- heroin addict
- electroconvulsive therapy
- death of daughter
- bebop
- eiffel tower, paris
- 1950s
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Sound · 1989
- Academy Award — Best Sound · 1989 · nominated
Cast & crew
Forest Whitaker
as Charlie 'Bird' Parker
Diane Venora
as Chan Parker
Michael Zelniker
as Red Rodney
Samuel E. Wright
as Dizzy Gillespie
Keith David
as Buster Franklin
Michael McGuire
as Brewster
James Handy
as Esteves
Damon Whitaker
as Young Bird
Morgan Nagler
as Kim
- AS
Arlen Dean Snyder
as Dr. Heath
Directed by Clint Eastwood