Birthmarked Movie Review (2018)
A quirky comedy about a controversial experiment testing nature versus nurture, Birthmarked is an enjoyable watch, even if it never fully capitalizes on its clever premise.
Films about parenting are incredibly common. It is a hugely relatable topic for many people, and there are all kinds of angles to take. Whether the twins were separated as babies, like in The Parent Trap, or there is an impending wedding, like in Father Of The Bride, audiences get it. We’re comfortable with it. But the position in this film is brand new.
Birthmarked is about Catherine and Ben, two scientists who marry and hope to join a research project funded by financier Gertz. Their idea is to adopt two children and give birth to the one that Catherine is carrying, and raise all three against their nature to prove that nurture is the true dominant in child rearing.
Directed by Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais, the film’s deadpan delivery is heavily reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s style. Delivered to the audience like a story, it feels like flipping through the pages of a picture book. It looks pretty, if not slightly off-kilter, and oddity is a tool of choice.
The concepts around nature vs. nurture never get old for me, so I looked forward to seeing where this story went in that capacity. It is touched on quite a bit, but never fully explored. It is more a tool for laughs, as the child from a “family of idiots” never becomes a genius, and the one raised to be a pacifist has delinquent tendencies.
Toni Collette and Matthew Goode are committed to their eccentric roles as full-time scientist parents, but can we just talk about Collette’s amazing American accent for a minute? She has played so many roles where her character is from the States that when I hear her speak with her normal Australian accent, it throws me. Hats off to this woman. I love her.
Birthmarked is entertaining, but it never quite “goes there.” It hovers through the storytelling, describing the characters’ quirks, introducing unusual events, spending time with oddball side characters, and making you feel as if people living off the grid with almost no outside interaction are normal. But it stays on the surface, never diving deeper than it has to to move the story forward. That is a choice of the filmmaker, and goes back to the Anderson style, it just removes some of the emotional potential between the audience and the movie. You are kept at arm’s length, so your emotions stay there, even with the children.
This is an amusing, easy watch that never gets too deep, but will keep you entertained. If you’ve ever wondered what a semi-ethical nature vs. nurture experiment might look like in a secluded setting, this is the film for you.
Runtime: 87 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: MA
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Available: Free on Prime Video, Roku, and Tubi, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
