I haven't read through all the comments of others on this film, but most of them are pretty much right on cue, with a few exceptions. I feel compelled to express my opinions of the movie, since it has always been one of my favorite Alan Parker films, along with The Wall, and a few other notably good films of his mentioned by others. This movie, along with The Wall, have had a huge impact on more than one person's life in this world, and that says a great deal on its own. It had been one of my favorites nearly 20 years ago when I was beginning college, and the quest toward independent life, searching for your place in the world, your identity and your own personal meaning in life. This is what the movie (story) is about to me. There is a lot of generalization about insanity, mental illness, the war, the human bonding of two friends; and they're all true; but there's so much more here. The symbolism of searching for yourself, flight equaling freedom; authoritarian symbols, from war, to the military, from your parents to just about everything else we question in life. Birdy is different because he (and those who identify with him) yearn to be free, not just in the literal sense, but as a free spirit, an individual in a world full of normalcy. Parker does an excellent job of direction, cinematography is in many respects still ahead of its time and acting is top notch. Parker's use of film as character memory in this film is among the first I encountered and I still find it equal to many other great directors who have used it to tell a story to this day. I can hardly find better performances by Modine or Cage anywhere in their vast catalog. Cage comes close in many films and probably equals it in others, but for as early as this was on his career, put in context, it's nearly impossible to beat. It's too bad Cage hasn't had a decent role in many years. As for Modine, nothing comes close to this performance that I've witnessed. I find it interesting that I didn't read anyone's comments about the soundtrack by Peter Gabriel, which was borrowed a great deal from his 'Security' release, probably one of his finest, and is easily on par with his work for Last Temptation of Christ, The Rabbit Proof Fence and others. This is what partly drew me into the film so many years ago, and I'm sure his having worked on it is no coincidence, as he typically only gets involved in projects which say a great deal about humanity. Highly recommended, a very conservative 7/10 vote.
