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War drama

Birdy (1984): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Birdy (1984) movie poster

Birdy is a 1984 war drama directed by Alan Parker, starring Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage and Dolores Sage. It runs 2 hours and earned $1.5 million worldwide. Critics gave it 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.

IMDb rating
7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes
84%
worldwide gross
$1.5M
Metascore
71
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Birdy (1984) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h (120 min)
Director
Alan Parker
Genres
Drama , War
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Birdy About?

The premise of Birdy without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Haunted by his experiences in Vietnam, a veteran struggles to readjust to civilian life, withdrawing into a fantasy where he exists as a bird. Confined to a mental hospital and increasingly disconnected from reality, doctors attempt to help him confront his trauma. His childhood friend and fellow veteran, Al, offers a lifeline, visiting regularly in an effort to reconnect him with the world and guide him toward healing.

Birdy Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • vietnam war
  • mental illness
  • best friend
  • male friendship
  • bird
  • obsession
  • wet dream
  • friendship between men
  • bare chested male
  • male protagonist
  • male male friendship
  • male rear nudity
+38 more
  • vietnam
  • friend
  • nickname
  • high school
  • flashback
  • male camaraderie
  • male nudity
  • male bonding
  • 1960s
  • title spoken by character
  • title same as book
  • nickname as title
  • fall from roof
  • dead bird
  • catching a bird
  • bird costume
  • feather
  • character name as title
  • one word title
  • car repair
  • laundry drying on a clothesline
  • ptsd post traumatic stress disorder
  • flashing breasts
  • woman exposes herself to a man
  • man touches a woman's breasts
  • return home
  • flexing muscles
  • bird hits a window
  • selling car
  • working class
  • psychology
  • train
  • streetcar
  • soldier
  • rainstorm
  • psychiatric hospital
  • jail
  • homing pigeon
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Cast & crew

Birdy Cast

Matthew Modine leads the cast, with Nicolas Cage and Dolores Sage. Directed by Alan Parker; 10 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Birdy Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Birdy 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.

Plot

Birdy Plot Summary

What happens in Birdy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

A young man known as Birdy (played by Matthew Modine) is found sitting on the floor of his desolate psychiatric hospital room, appearing almost in a comatose state. Meanwhile, in a different sector of the hospital, U.S. Army Sergeant Alfonso ‘Al’ Columbato (portrayed by Nicolas Cage), whose heavily bandaged face suggests a painful past, is being wheeled into his dormitory-style room. As the orderlies help him to his bed, a doctor discusses Al’s facial injuries, the schedule for removing the bandages, and the prospects for his forthcoming reconstructive surgery. It appears that Al will soon be leaving the hospital.

Full summary

The whole story of Birdy, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Birdy Box Office

Birdy grossed $1.5 million worldwide. $1.5 million came from the US and Canada and $51 (0%) from the rest of the world.

1984 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.5M

US & Canada
$1.5M
International
$51
US & Canada 100% Rest of the world 0%
Videos

Birdy Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Birdy.

Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Birdy?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the main setting of Birdy's story?

Cars

Cars in Birdy

18 cars on screen, including the 1954 Chevrolet 3100 and the 1946 Dodge Custom.

All 18 cars
  • 1954 Chevrolet 3100 in Birdy 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Important role
  • 1946 Dodge Custom in Birdy 1946 Dodge Custom Important role
  • 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner in Birdy 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner Important role
  • 1957 Chevrolet Two-Ten in Birdy 1957 Chevrolet Two-Ten Minor role
Details

Birdy Also Known As

17 alternative titles, including “鸟孩” and “Alas de libertad”.

Also known as
  • 鸟孩
  • Alas de libertad
  • Birdy - Le ali della libertà
  • Madárka
  • Птаха
  • 鸟人
  • Birdy - Asas da Liberdade
  • Μπέρντι, ο Άνθρωπος Πουλί
  • בירדי
  • Létat jako pták
  • Ptasiek
  • バーディ
+5 more
  • Пилето
  • 버디
  • Asas da Liberdade
  • Păsăresc
  • بیردی

Seen Birdy?

FAQ

Birdy FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Birdy, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Birdy?

Birdy runs 2 hours (120 minutes).

When was Birdy released?

Birdy was released on December 21, 1984.

Who directed Birdy?

Birdy was directed by Alan Parker.

More films by Alan Parker

Who is in the cast of Birdy?

Birdy stars Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage and Dolores Sage, among 10 credited actors.

How much did Birdy make at the box office?

Birdy grossed $1.5 million worldwide ($1.5 million domestic, $51 international).

How is Birdy rated?

Birdy has 7.2/10 on IMDb, 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.

Does Birdy have a post-credit scene?

No. Birdy has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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