The Birdman director of Revenant and Birdman returns with an inexplicable journey into his past

Six years after The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu is back for an esoteric dive into his past in the semi-autobiographical Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths.

Daniel Jimenez Cacho plays Silverio Gama. He is an experimental filmmaker who won a prestigious American prize (can you see the connection yet?) After years of living and working in Los Angeles for many years, Silverio traveled to Mexico. This blurred reality and fantasy led to a roller coaster ride called Silverio.

Like fellow Mexican Alfonso Cuaron Roma, Iñárritu has turned to Netflix millions to craft a deeply personal and complex story. We are able to get so deeply into the filmmaker’s mind that the movie loses its cohesiveness. In a masterful combination of visual art and video, we are able to see vignettes that analyze Mexican politics, success, family, and the filmmaker’s view of family.

The narrative is not spoon-fed, and there are hints at filmmaking greats such as Fellini or Malick. The cracks in the concept might not have been as obvious if it had been shorter than an hour.

It is stressful enough that viewers may struggle to make sense of the epic runtime. Moments that feel real to the viewer emotionally are there. Silverio’s father, who died in 2008, is still a part of his life. This leads to some amazing moments, as he shrinks to the size of a child.

Although the Oscar-winning actor’s struggles with fame and loss are well addressed, it is not the most relatable topic. Star Cacho is a good guy, and benefits from his story inspirations. However, he can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the strangeness of it all.

Bardot…has a lot of things to say over the course a nearly three-hour-long film, but often feels like it’s just a conversation without context. While a far cry from Birdman’s brilliance, fans of the director will be encouraged by the fact that Iñárritu remains a director determined to follow his own muse.