A film that didn’t get a great reception when it was first released, Birth, about a woman who lost her husband 10 years ago and is approached by a child claiming to be him, deserves another look.
Some movies are made before their time. Twenty or thirty years after they’re created, they sometimes find new life and new appreciation for what the director had in mind. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it does happen. And I’m not sure if this is one of them or not, but I remember very mixed reviews when this first came out and while I get it, I’m not sure it deserved the negativity that it received.
Birth is about Anna, a woman whose husband, Sean, suddenly died 10 years ago. She is now engaged to Joseph and planning for a new future. Shortly after her engagement party, she is approached by a 10 year old child saying that he is the reincarnation of her husband and also named Sean. He wants to be with her and he still loves her.
There are a number of controversial things about this film, but it is also an incredibly intriguing and mysterious premise. And as with any mystery, one might not like the path taken. That said, this movie doesn’t attempt to answer all of the questions.
Nicole Kidman is Anna. She comes off as a confused and fragile woman who is looking to be taken care of. There is a particular shot in the film that trains on her face at the symphony for about 3 minutes. It is remarkably full of feeling and confusion and emotion in her eyes, and one of the best moments of the movie. Really well done.
Cameron Bright’s Sean blew me away as well. As a child, he carries the weight of his love for Anna; his seemingly adult love. He is serious and heavily invested in being with the woman that he is obsessed with. And Anna, seeing his devotion, believes that he truly could be her husband in this child’s body.
There is one scene that I assume most people were uncomfortable with because it affected me greatly. I couldn’t believe what I was watching, actually, and I was repulsed, which I think was the point. There is a scene when Anna is taking a bath. Sean walks into the bathroom, slowly removes all of his clothing, and joins her. They proceed to sit there talking for a bit. When you look at this as a woman desperate for love who is with her husband, it is one thing, but when you see it for what it is – a grown woman taking a bath with a child who is consumed by her – it is another.
Birth is a movie that leaves many things up for discussion. It is wholly story driven with a stunning soundtrack behind it and it will make for an excellent dinner topic. I encourage you to watch it. You may love it and you may hate it, but it is different from anything else you’ve seen.
Runtime: 100 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
Some movies are made before their time. Twenty or thirty years after they’re created, they sometimes find new life and new appreciation for what the director had in mind. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it does happen. And I’m not sure if this is one of them or not, but I remember very mixed reviews when this first came out and while I get it, I’m not sure it deserved the negativity that it received.
