Birth

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Birth

R

Released Oct 29, 2004

1h 40m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

40%

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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Critics Consensus

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

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

This is a grown-up, intelligent, beautiful film. Rejoice.

Dec 26, 2017

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

What were they thinking?

Rated: 1/5

Dec 22, 2010

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David Ansen

Newsweek

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.

Nov 1, 2007

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Fascinating "what if" scenario captured on film led by a bravura, if understated, performance from Nicole Kidman.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 30, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

A hypnotic mediation on grief, anchored by a stunning performance by Kidman and a scene-stealing Anne Heche. That the film was critiqued for its infamous bathtub scene proves folks missed the point.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 25, 2024

Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

One is the idea that pure romantic love is eternal, or we believe it should be. The other is taking a close look at what happens when that romantic partner is ripped from our lives, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

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Julian S

It’s not a bad film, but the performances are way too subdued for how catastrophic the story is.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

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Peepmo E

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.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/05/24

Full Review

Dani G

Maybe it was Jonathan Glazer's beginnings, 'cause it had something of his style, but very failed project. It didn't connect what was supposed to

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

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Ian E

As with all of Jonathan Glazer's work this movie isn't what it appears to be at first glance. Much like Sexy Beast wasn't really a gangster movie; though it had lots of gangstery tropes. Birth isn't really a movie about paranormal phenomenon, mystery or reincarnation. But about enduring love, loss, psychological damage, grief, despair and the impressionability of young children. Much of the story of the movie is told reading between the lines, rather than being stated overtly. For example the relationship between Sean who dies, his brother and his brother's wife is barely touched on, but is hugely impactful to the story, & on all the characters. Nicole Kidman is superb, as is Cameron Bright. Probably Glazer's second best film after The Zone of Interest. (If you don't count his Guinness Surfer Advert - Voted the best TV advert of all time)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Alec B

A bizarre movie that definitely didn't deserve the angry reviews at the time of its release. Kidman is at her best here (vulnerable and mysterious) and Glazer effectively remixes a number of Kubrickian themes, styles, and scenes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/04/24

Full Review

Anastasia R

A beautiful and complex love story. It is a movie that could not be made today. One must step outside of comfort zones to deal with the idea of a transcendental love or any metaphysical realities frankly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/29/24

Full Review

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Jonathan Glazer

Director

Nicole Kidman

Anna

Cameron Bright

Young Boy

Danny Huston

Joseph

Lauren Bacall

Eleanor

Alison Elliott

Laura

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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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