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Birth

Play trailer Poster for Birth R 2004 1h 40m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
42% Tomatometer 149 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
It took Anna (Nicole Kidman) 10 years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, but now she's on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph (Danny Huston), and finally moving on. However, on the night of her engagement party, a young boy named Sean (Cameron Bright) 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.
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Birth

Birth

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Critics Consensus

A well-mounted production is undermined by a muddled, absurd storyline of questionable taste.

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Critics Reviews

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Will Self London Evening Standard 12/26/2017
This is a grown-up, intelligent, beautiful film. Rejoice. Go to Full Review
Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/22/2010
1/5
What were they thinking? Go to Full Review
David Ansen Newsweek 11/01/2007
The setup of Glazer's hypnotic movie suggests a supernatural thriller, but the execution is pure European art film. Kidman gives a bold performance as a woman in extreme distress, but the script is hooey. Birth is ridiculous, and oddly unforgettable. Go to Full Review
Joshua Ryan FandomWire 3d
9/10
Glazer’s commitment to exploring the most uncomfortable aspects of this heart-wrenching story makes the impact of Birth unforgettable. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Mar 4
2.5/4
...a fairly absurd premise that is, at the outset, employed to surprisingly compelling and mesmerizing effect by Glazer... Go to Full Review
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast 09/30/2024
4/5
Fascinating "what if" scenario captured on film led by a bravura, if understated, performance from Nicole Kidman. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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علاء EL TARF 36 ح @Aala36 5d birth (2004) is a clear example of a promising idea abandoned without care. A lazy screenplay, artificial ambiguity, and an ending that feels more like an escape than a creative choice. The film does not construct a mystery; instead, it demands blind belief simply because "the director wants it," without logic, rules, or respect for the viewer’s intelligence. The characters’ behavior is deeply unrealistic, especially the protagonist, who abandons the most basic human reactions just so the film can sustain its psychological trick. The child is neither a profound symbol nor a clever mystery, but a walking narrative flaw. The direction is cold, the pacing is dull, and long silences do not create depth when there is no substance beneath them. As for the ending, it feels like a blunt confession that the filmmakers did not know how to conclude the story, so they chose to stop it abruptly and leave the audience confused., trivial movietrivial movie 🤮 See more Daniel S Aug 25 Jonathan Glazer’s Birth is a haunting, polarizing meditation on love, grief, and obsession. Anchored by Nicole Kidman’s fragile yet magnetic performance, the film thrives on atmosphere, ambiguity, and quiet tension rather than clear answers or traditional thrills. Its hypnotic style and refusal to ‘show its hand’ make it both striking and frustrating.. admired for its craft and performances, dismissed by others as slow or pretentious. Whether loved or hated, Birth is unforgettable, a cinematic conundrum that lingers long after the credits. See more Colin M 01/16/2025 A man dies. A child is born. An enjoyable movie that leaves you wondering about the central question until near the end. Well structured. A bit too much silence from intelligent people when there should be more questions asked, but that was okay. See more h t 01/14/2025 Go off Nicole !! The ratings on this film are a travesty!! Amazing film, amazing acting, insane story line, has stayed with me weeks after, some absolute genious moments, glazier strikes again baby. If you can allow yourself to trust it, through its surreal and at times uncomfortable themes, then its quite a ride. Peace out Johnathan, thank you for another total mind blending slice of something so unrealy real See more Julian S @akajulianscott 10/13/2024 It’s not a bad film, but the performances are way too subdued for how catastrophic the story is. See more Peepmo E 06/05/2024 Delicate and strange, it's not for everyone. This film is expertly crafted and weirdly haunting. I can't believe how criminally underrated it is. Pearls before swine y'all. See more Read all reviews
Birth

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Movie Info

Synopsis It took Anna (Nicole Kidman) 10 years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, but now she's on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph (Danny Huston), and finally moving on. However, on the night of her engagement party, a young boy named Sean (Cameron Bright) 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.
Director
Jonathan Glazer
Producer
Lizie Gower, Jean-Louis Piel, Nick Morris, Wang Wei
Screenwriter
Milo Addica, Jean-Claude Carrière, Jonathan Glazer
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Production Co
Fine Line Features, Lou Yi Inc.
Rating
R (Sexuality)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 29, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.0M
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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