It looks like this movie got panned by a lot of reviewers for taking a familiar plot (dying character wants to gather family together before suicide) and does nothing miraculous or stunning with it.

I enjoyed the movie. Susan Sarandon and Sam O’Neill rarely disappoint, and the ensemble supporting cast dis a credible job. There is a lot of humor, some of it dark humor by the dying character, and a strong script overall, in my humble opinion, as the saying goes. Even the supporting characters are well-developed - no two-dimensional stereotypes that I could identify.

I guess my standard is a bit lower than some of the elite reviewers I read on another website. I want to be entertained and not have my intelligence insulted. Check and check.

As a side note, I watched this movie just after seeing The Goldfinch. Maybe I should have re-watched Bird Man and completed the trifecta?

'Blackbird' only flies high thanks to its incredibly strong cast, and although the narrative misses dramatic beats, the film still packs an emotional punch while adding to the conversation about legalised euthanasia.
- Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-blackbird-star-studded-cast-saves-generic-film