The Birdcage

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The Birdcage

R

Released Mar 8, 1996

1h 59m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

63 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In this remake of the classic French farce "La Cage aux Folles," engaged couple Val Goldman (Dan Futterman) and Barbara Keeley (Calista Flockhart) shakily introduce their future in-laws. Val's father, Armand (Robin Williams), a gay Miami drag club owner, pretends to be straight and attempts to hide his relationship with Albert (Nathan Lane), his life partner and the club's flamboyant star attraction, so as to please Barbara's father, controversial Republican Sen. Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman).

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Critics Consensus

Mike Nichols wrangles agreeably amusing performances from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this fun, if not quite essential, remake of the French comedy La Cage aux Folles.

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Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

Remakes don’t get much better than Mike Nichols’s The Birdcage, which embraced drag shows long before they became the height of cool, and more unsettlingly, another casualty of the rising tide of fascism.

Jun 20, 2023

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Geordie Gray

The Australian

The Birdcage is silly in all the right ways.

Dec 3, 2022

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

The Birdcage is a little film with knee-slapping scenes coupled with thoughtfully acute moments as well.

Sep 8, 2017

Full Review

Romey Norton

Film Focus Online

Amongst all the hilarity, there are also some poignant moments in the film - when the audience is reminded that the underlying themes in this story are love, acceptance, and support. You can be giggling one second and then tearing up the next.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 22, 2024

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Hank Azaria steals the entire picture as houseboy Agador.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 20, 2024

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Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

I was wildly entertained by this. It had a lot of heart and is more than just a bag of laughs. The theme about accepting yourself was really powerful.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 19, 2023

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ser t

This is one of my top five favorite movies, always guaranteed to make me laugh. It is packed with excellent performances by all of the actors and Gene Hackman in the scene at the end with all of the stars dancing out of the club is unforgettable. I will also stand by my assertion that Hank Azaria was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in this film; to this day my true love and I laugh whenever we hear "The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" and visualize Agador kicking his legs while cleaning the apartment. I also liked seeing Williams rein in his usual manic bursts of comedy in exchange for the quiet dignity he has in this role as a club owner wrestling with what is best for his family versus the expectations of the world at that time. It really is a must-see, and it would probably surprise anyone prejudiced against the LGBTQIA+ community as to how family-oriented their family is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/19/25

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T K

It is the ultimate feel-good movie—farce at its best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/12/25

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Daniel C

A great remake executed perfectly by its two leads. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane's performances are underscored by fantastic small choices, like Gene Hackman's candy-eating conservative neuroses, which still feel fresh and relevant 30 years on.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

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Isaiah Y

Great Mike Nichols comedy with a memorable performance by Robin Williams

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/18/24

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Audience Member

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane…need I say more?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/29/24

Full Review

James E

Thoroughly underrated part of Robin Williams impressive resume. This is one of very few 90s comedy movies featuring queer characters without the jokes being at their expense. This is clearly for the queer community by the queer community. This is hilarious and deep and easy to get sucked into.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/02/24

Full Review

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Mike Nichols

Director

Robin Williams

Armand Goldman

Gene Hackman

Sen. Kevin Keeley

Nathan Lane

Albert Goldman

Dianne Wiest

Louise Keeley

Hank Azaria

Agador 'Spartacus'

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Wigging Out

2:10

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Naked Greek Bowls

2:03

The Birdcage: Official Clip - This is My Mother

2:08

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Act Like a Man

2:04

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Gays in the Military

2:12

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Albert Will Not Dance

2:11

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Walking Like John Wayne

1:32

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Family Values

1:58

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Val's "Mother" Comes to Dinner

1:55

The Birdcage: Official Clip - Val's Getting Married

2:09

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Synopsis

In this remake of the classic French farce "La Cage aux Folles," engaged couple Val Goldman (Dan Futterman) and Barbara Keeley (Calista Flockhart) shakily introduce their future in-laws. Val's father, Armand (Robin Williams), a gay Miami drag club owner, pretends to be straight and attempts to hide his relationship with Albert (Nathan Lane), his life partner and the club's flamboyant star attraction, so as to please Barbara's father, controversial Republican Sen. Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman).

Director: Mike Nichols
Producer: Mike Nichols
Screenwriter: Jean Poiret, Francis Veber, Edouard Molinaro, Marcello Danon, Elaine May
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 8, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $124.0M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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