Birth [2004]

Very strongly remindful of Kubrick and (to a lesser extent) Bergman, and feeling like it's stepped out the 1970's (Hollywoods daring golden period) this is one of the most lyrical and beautiful American films for many years. "Birth" is a masterwork in film-making. From the brilliantly framed and paced opening sequence onwards, every single camera shot is startling and painterly. The use of movement, light and colour is spectacular - not in a flashy way, but in a nuanced style that beautifully conveys meaning and atmosphere. The sense of brooding, claustrophobia is heightened even further by a truly fantastic score.

The script is an interesting premise, but the film itself seems far better than it's own material, and the dialogue is rarely more than functional - indeed many key scenes are wordless or nearly so.

The one element of "Birth" that seems to infuriate many puzzled popcorn-munching movie-goers above all others is it's highly ambiguous ending, and that's also one of the films great delights. This is a rare thing; a relatively big-scale 21st century Hollywood film that doesn't even attempt to offer any answers to the questions it has posed. It makes you think, it makes you question, and hurrah for that.

The fact that "Birth" was a total box-office disaster is hardly a great surprise since it offers little for the multiplex crowd, besides an often astounding performance from a major A-list actress. But it's also a great shame that the film was promoted as some kind of thriller, which it's not. Hopefully, in time, it will find it's rightful place in the pantheon of great American films, and in the meantime, roll on Glazers' next project.


Harshly underrated   November 24, 2006
jamesewan (London / Grenoble)
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

Birth died a death (pardon the pun) before it was even released due to unwelcome and hysterical publicity at its suggestion of sexual relations between a grown woman and a ten-year-old boy. Something of a flop, I watched it without any specific expectations or prejudices about its premise and was pleasantly surprised. As often with more elegaic, slow-moving films, you get a raft of irate reviewers on Amazon screaming about how bored they were as if they have been personally affonted. Maybe they were expecting something from Nicole Kidman on the level of Bewitched or The Stepford Wives? This is not conventional Hollywood - but more (perhaps self-consciously) European in style, darkly symbolic in the mold of Lucile Hadzihalilovic's Innocence - with shades of David Lynch and Luis Bunuel. Richly atmospheric, with an uncanny performance by Cameron Bright as the possible reincarnation of Nicole Kidman's dead husband, it is a chilling examination of loss and grief. Although it operates on one level as a supernatural thriller, there are more subtle currents at work here that less imaginative filmgoers like to dismiss as boring or pretentious. Allow yourself to be pulled into the sombre mood, however, and stop expecting things 'To Happen', and you might be rewarded with something deeper and more nuanced. If you don't have much of an attention span or a capacity to enjoy films which aren't supposed to be treated as literal, then you should avoid this. 'Birth' has its faults, but it doesn't deserve the vitriolic abuse it has received here.


EXCELLENT!!!   May 16, 2005
13 out of 17 found this review helpful

This film is greatly under-rated! Although not an easy film to watch, this is fantastic!! The acting is first class, noteably from Nicole Kidman. The film has moments that may, to some, seem slow and pointless but actually add to the emotion and meaning of the film, particularly a scene that focuses on Anna's (kidman) face, shows fantastic acting as we see the emotion she is struggling with. Very well made and directed, this film is for those who like to think during a film rather then watch a film where everything is explained and made easy. A difficult subject is very tastefully handled and reports of indecency were completely unfounded! Was very impressed and would recommend!


Absolute crap!   June 13, 2005
13 out of 25 found this review helpful

This film is one of the worst I've seen, Nicole Kidman's acting was awful and the story line was unbelieveable. Some of the movie seems quite disturbing, like when the 10 year child gets in the bath with Anna (Nicole Kidman)
It left me confused seeing as all the way through the child Sean claims to be her dead husband and then at the end he just changes his mind! After watching this I watched Lock, Stock and 2 smoking barrels, which is a truly classic movie. I wouldn't waste your time or money on watching this movie!