Bird | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

Skip to Main Content

Rotten Tomatoes Cancel

Movies in theaters

Movies at Home

More

Certified fresh picks

New TV Tonight

Most Popular TV on RT

More

Certified fresh pick

Columns

Guides

Hubs

RT News

Where to Watch What to Know Reviews Cast & Crew More Like This Related News Photos Media Info

Critics Consensus

Forest Whitaker inhabits Charlie Parker with aplomb in this moving love letter to the music icon, told by director Clint Eastwood with a moody style that visually evokes the wistful rhythm of jazz.

Read Critics Reviews

Richard Combs Sight & Sound What the film pulls off is the difficult fusion of this kind of accuracy with larger 'truths' which are no respecter of accuracy. Jan 16, 2020 Full Review Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times In this movie and its hot, fast bursts of bop, Charlie Parker gets a fitting elegy. Dec 11, 2018 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Sensitively acted, beautifully planned visually and dynamite musically, this is a dramatic telling of the troubled life of a revolutionary artist. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Herb Boyd The Crisis Sure, the music is great, but it should have been placed in political and historical context. Bird did not wage the cultural revolution alone, nor did he fall from out of the sky. Nov 14, 2023 Full Review Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) Aside from Lennie Niehaus' superb work as musical supervisor... and Forest Whitaker and Diane Venora's performances in the lead roles, all you get are clichés and the film's superficial response to an artist's descent into self-destruction. May 8, 2023 Full Review Tom Cassidy Common Sense Media People who don't like jazz often complain it's overlong, complicated, noodling, and meandering. These criticisms can all be leveled at director Clint Eastwood's Bird, who, unlike a jazz master, doesn't back up his work with any inventive flair. Rated: 3/5 Dec 1, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Dallas H Here we are with a biopic about Charlie Parker, a jazz musician with a drug addiction, and it was a flick directed by Clint Eastwood. I could not have guessed how well the film holds together until I saw it myself. I liked this movie. It's good! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/14/24 Full Review Aender S The biopic of a jazz legend depicted by one of my favourite actors directed by one of my favourite directors, what could go wrong? Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/11/24 Full Review Eye C A depressing movie for a depressing life. And there's no other way to make this movie. A well done film, but a little bit harsh to watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/24 Full Review Audience Member Eastwood is a good director and he captures Billy Bird to a tee. He inserts enough of a jazzy vibe reminiscent of the era. Forrest Whitaker is excellent too. Yet the film goes on so long and there’s a drab atmosphere that drains all joy from the viewing experience. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/01/23 Full Review decadepast d Charlie Parker looked like Buddha. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/04/23 Full Review steve m I don't get the high scores from Ebert, Metacritic, and Rotten Tomatoes. This movie was way too long. What was short was how Bird got to be Bird. What drove him to drugs and drink? What made him the musician he became? There's a little talk about it, but this is a movie, not a book, show me. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Show LessCast & Crew Show MoreCast & Crew

The Doors 56% 79% The Doors Nico, 1988 94% 61% Nico, 1988 TRAILER for Nico, 1988 Nixon 75% 74% Nixon TRAILER for Nixon Full Metal Jacket 90% 94% Full Metal Jacket Miles Ahead 74% 57% Miles Ahead TRAILER for Miles Ahead Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Bird (1988) Bird (1988) Bird (1988) Bird (1988) View more photos

Synopsis Director Clint Eastwood, a noted jazz aficionado, directs this heartfelt study of pioneering bop saxophonist Charlie Parker (Forest Whitaker). Moving forward and backward through Parker's brief life before his death of a heroin overdose at age 34, the film foregrounds the saxophonist's difficult relationship with his wife, Chan Parker (Diane Venora), but also features lengthy scenes of Parker improvising on stage, lit with the neon and cigarette smoke of vintage jazz clubs.

Director

Clint Eastwood

Producer

Clint Eastwood

Distributor

Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Co

Warner Brothers

Rating

R

Genre

Biography, History, Drama, Music

Original Language

English

Release Date (Theaters)

Sep 30, 1988, Original

Release Date (Streaming)

Jun 1, 2009

Box Office (Gross USA)

$1.5M

Runtime

2h 41m

Sound Mix

Surround, Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now