The Birdcage: A New Favorite Film?

Gunhild Michelsen | Posted on March 28, 2019

The colorful, “gay means happy” film you always wanted

God bless roommates. Sometimes you hate ’em, sometimes you love ’em, and without mine I probably wouldn’t have watched “The Birdcage”. Starring the late, great Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. The Birdcage is an absolute joy. The film centers around Armand, the owner of “The Birdcage” (we love a title reference), a drag club in South Beach, and Albert, the star of the club and Armand’s partner. They also have a fabulous housekeeper named Agador.

Hijinks promptly ensue when Val, Armand’s son from a one-night stand, pleads with his father to pretend to be straight. The reason being Val wants to marry the daughter of an uber-conservative senator. Who also believes Armand to be a straight, married, man.

The film is delightful with strong acting, gorgeous sets and backgrounds, complete with a quotable script.

What really drew me in with “The Birdcage” is it is deviates from most other LGBTQIA films. We see two openly gay characters, albeit yes, they are white men, who show unbridled love for each other and their community. The film is bitingly funny, and if it starred a straight couple, would probably be labelled as a rom-com.

This film doesn’t pull punches, and showcases drag culture. There is no question that the film is Gay, capital G. Watching Albert and Armand’s relationship showcases a much deeper love than we, the audience, are privy to. Without giving too much away, this film will bringing laughs and moments of “oh dear”, making it a worthwhile two hours.