It took Anna 10 years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, but now she's on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph, and finally moving on. However, on the night of her engagement party, a young boy named Sean turns up, saying he is her dead husband reincarnated. At first she ignores the child, but his knowledge of her former husband's life is uncanny, leading her to believe that he might be telling the truth.
Nicole Kidman
Anna
Cameron Bright
Young Sean
Danny Huston
Joseph
Lauren Bacall
Eleanor
Alison Elliott
Laura
Arliss Howard
Bob
Michael Desautels
Sean
Anne Heche
Clara
Peter Stormare
Clifford
Ted Levine
Mr. Conte
Cara Seymour
Mrs. Conte
Joe M. Chalmers
Sinclair
Novella Nelson
Lee
Zoe Caldwell
Mrs. Hill
Charles Goff
Mr. Drummond
Sheila Smith
Mrs. Drummond
Milo Addica
Jimmy
Mary Catherine Wright
Young Woman
Scott Johnsen
Caterer
Elizabeth Greenberg
Teacher
Tessa Auberjonois
Woman in Lobby
Michael Joseph Cortese Jr.
Patrick / Mini Bike Driver
John Robert Tramutola
Stevie
Jordan Lage
Peter
Margot Jewers
Real Estate Agent
Matthew Giffuni
Runner
Ian Hoffberg
Runner
Laura Fallon
Runner
John Juback
Man in Lobby
Kavita R. Mangroo
Woman at Counter
Alexandra Salo
Woman at Party
Hollis McConnell Jones
Bridesmaid / Woman at Party #2
Libby Skala
Bridesmaid
Bruce Bennetis
Wedding Photographer
Gregory Smith
Photographer
T. Ryder Smith
Waiter
Ed Bogdanowicz
Cop #1
Jerry Fuentes
Cop #2
Gregory Dann
Secretary
Lisa Barnes
Clara's Neighbor
Carl Burrows
Businessman (uncredited)
David Copeland
Usher (uncredited)
Rumaisa Rahman
Member of Engagement Party (uncredited)
Yvonne Sayers
Opera Socialite (uncredited)
Lian Moy
Student (uncredited)
Sean Oliver
Voice of Sean (uncredited)
Director, Screenplay
Jonathan Glazer
Screenplay
Jean-Claude Carrière
Screenplay
Milo Addica
March 20, 2015
8
You know I loved Sean so much, and its been so long that I still can't get him out of my system.
I remember when it was released in 2004, there was a big hurrah about "the" bath scene, many vitriolic complaints about how slow it was, how not scary it was et al. Birth is many wonderful film making things, of course not all of those things will resonate or enthral many of the movie watching populace, yet there is such craft on both sides of the camera here, and an atmospherically ambiguous bloodline pulsing throughout, that marks it out as a particularly striking film.
Plot finds Nicole Kidman as Anna, who is about to be re-married but finds her world tipped upside down when a young boy (Cameron Bright) arrives on the scene and announces he is the reincarnation of her dead first husband...
Director Jonathan Glazer and his co-writers Jean-Claude Carrière & Milo Addica are purposely being vague, I mean lets face it, the topic to hand is exactly that, vague, and ripe for countless hours of discussion. The film simmers along deftly, meditations on love, grief and anger are skilfully portrayed by all involved. Even a birthing tunnel metaphor doesn't come off as self indulgent, from the off Glazer wants and gets those interested in the story to buy into the hypnotic qualities on show. To jump on board with Anna's fragility while all around her battle for rhyme or reason with her mindset.
In truth it's a hard sell as a piece of entertainment, there's still today, over a decade since it was released, people miffed that the hinted at supernatural elements are not key to the narrative. While the thin line of good and bad taste - and maybe even pretentiousness - is being tested by the makers, but the charges of Birth being dull are just wrong. It never shows its hand, the mystery always remains strong, while Kidman and Lauren Bacall are reason enough to admire the acting craft on show.
Hated by many, inducing even anger in some quarters, Birth is a tantalising picture. A conundrum designed to get a response, for better or worse. 8/10
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$20,000,000.00
Revenue:
$23,900,000.00