The Birdcage

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The Birdcage

R

In Theaters Jun 7

1h 59m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In Miami Beach, a gay couple pretend to be man and wife when a son's future father-in-law and family visit.

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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Mike Nichols

Director

Robin Williams

Armand Goldman

Gene Hackman

Sen. Kevin Keeley

Nathan Lane

Albert Goldman

Dianne Wiest

Louise Keeley

Hank Azaria

Agador 'Spartacus'

Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

06/20/2023

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.

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Geordie Gray

The Australian

12/03/2022

The Birdcage is silly in all the right ways.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/08/2017

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

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Joe Lipsett

The Queer Gaze (Podcast)

Jun 27

2.5/5

The American remake of the French farce feels like a product of its time, particularly how it handles queer issues (which makes it feel made for straight audiences).

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M.V. Moorhead

Phoenix Magazine

Jun 16

Hackman may have been overshadowed by Lane’s brilliance, but he’s genuinely hilarious.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

07/20/2024

3/4

Hank Azaria steals the entire picture as houseboy Agador.

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Alejandro E

@Alex970 Feb 15

There are remakes that are well justified, and others that are not. This one, based on a famous French comedy, falls somewhere in between. It does make an effort to be funny, and it's nice to see Robin Williams without all his tics; it would have been a little better if it weren't for the slow pace. That's the problem.

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Jeff Y.

@Jagger1020 Feb 8

Fun watch - pretty funny. Movie didn’t try to make it deeper than it needed be.

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AMJH 4

@Tony1978 Feb 7

One of the best and funniest comedies I've ever seen. Everyone is absolutely BRILLIANT in this!

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bob t

@RT89536276 Jan 31

Hilarious from start to end. RIP Robin Williams.

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RichardAB T

@PoorDearRichard Jan 24

The Birdcage is a brilliantly funny, high-energy comedy that keeps you entertained from start to finish. A remake of the French film La Cage aux Folles, which is maybe a bit better, it still delivers plenty of laughs. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are electric as a gay couple trying to impress conservative in-laws, bringing heart and impeccable timing. The supporting cast—including Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest—is equally strong. Clever, outrageous, and surprisingly warm. And seriously, where do you buy those soup bowls with the Greek boys?

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Noah H.

@Noah85 Jan 15

Really funny and sweet movie. Loved the LGBTQ representation. Man, I miss Robin Williams. :(

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Synopsis

In Miami Beach, a gay couple pretend to be man and wife when a son's future father-in-law and family visit.

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
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jun 7, 2026
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $124.0M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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