Birth (2004)
Be careful what you wish for.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Cameron Bright, Danny Huston, Lauren Bacall, Alison Elliott, Arliss Howard, Michael Desautels, Anne Heche, Peter Stormare, Ted Levine, Cara Seymour, Scott Johnsen, Joe M. Chalmers, Novella Nelson, Zoe Caldwell,
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Running Time: 100 minutes
US MPAA rating: RUK BBFC rating: 15
Drama, Mystery
In the first few seconds of 'Birth', a man asks himself the question of what he would do if his missus died, only for a bird to turn up the next day claiming - in perfect English, mind - to be her. That one question sums up perfectly what this entire film is about. When reincarnation not only stares us in the face, but turns up in our bathrooms and climbs into the tub with us, do we believe in it? Or should we just concentrate on how a bird is able to hold a spoken conversation with us in the first place?
It's not a situation the majority of us are ever likely to have to deal with but, for Anna (Nicole Kidman), it's a scenario which threatens to turn her entire life upside down. Her husband died from a heart-attack ten years ago, and she's spent the best part of that decade trying to move on with her life. Her best chance of doing so appears to be Joseph (Danny Huston), a city gent who, after several years of trying, has finally convinced her to take him as her second hubby.
Of course, poor ol' Joe didn't bank on facing some stiff competition from a snot-nosed ten-year-old - but that's exactly what happens when young Sean (Cameron Bright) turns up on the couple's doorstep claiming to be hubby back from the dead. So, does she choose the fairly normal if slightly nerdy Joseph, or creepy kiddy-wink Sean? Let's face it, only one of them will let her play with his Lego.
While the issue of reincarnation is obviously the film's main concern, you'll be hard-pushed not to find yourself slightly sidetracked by the uncomfortable blossoming romance between grown woman and child. I couldn't help but feel that if this same story had been told using an adult male and ten-year old-girl, some of the scenes the film puts us through would spark public outrage.
That, however, wasn't my main problem with 'Birth'. The acting's good, the direction's good, but at the end of it all I just didn't buy the storyline. Everything is wrapped up far too easily at the end, leaving behind a string of plot-holes which make less and less sense the more you think about them. And, for all I've said in past reviews about Hollywood nowadays being far too obsessed with having to add a twist to every tale, it's exactly what this particular film could have done with.
It's Got: Squirrels in the woods. Look out for them.
It Needs: To have concentrated harder on bringing us a conclusion that works, or at least surprises.
Alternatives: Heaven Can Wait
Summary: A prime example of how impressive acting and wonderful direction can be wasted on an implausible and slightly-tasteless story.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 11th August 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
Birth at the IMDB
Comments3 Comments |
| For uncomfortable scenes between a grown man (Matt Dillon) and a little girl (13 year old Natalie Portman) try Beautiful Girls. |
| Comment by:- Mr. Pandrich | | 09 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Most misunderstood movie of the year. Absolutely brilliant, fantastic ending. Heartbreaking. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 14 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Hollywood should stick to the storylines it knows best; boy meets girl or girl meets boy and happy ending. It's hard to take any film seriously when it's central theme is that of a grown man reincarnated as a ten year old boy trying to persuade a women in her thirties that he is in fact her dead husband. The plot becomes even more bizarre when she subsequently beleives him... A little far fetched perhaps? |
| Comment by:- Natasha Higgins | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
