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Birth (2004)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
3 November 2004 (France)
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Tagline:
Be careful what you wish for. more
Plot:
A woman becomes convinced that a ten year old boy is the reincarnation of her dead husband. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe.
Another 1 win
&
9 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(53 articles)
The 10 most underrated movies of the decade
(From The Guardian - Film News. 22 December 2009, 2:24 AM, PST)
SAG Nominations
(From FilmExperience. 17 December 2009, 3:10 PM, PST)
(From The Guardian - Film News. 22 December 2009, 2:24 AM, PST)
SAG Nominations
(From FilmExperience. 17 December 2009, 3:10 PM, PST)
User Reviews:
Lovely character study
more (340 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
100 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Taiwan:R-18 |
Canada:14A (Ontario) |
South Korea:15 |
Philippines:R-13 |
Sweden:7 |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:MA |
Brazil:12 |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Chile:14 |
Finland:K-15 |
France:U |
Germany:12 |
Hong Kong:IIB |
Hong Kong:III (director's cut) |
Ireland:15 |
Netherlands:MG6 |
Norway:11 |
Peru:14 |
Portugal:M/16 |
Singapore:M18 |
Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) |
Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) |
UK:15 |
USA:R (certificate #40949) |
Iceland:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The type of cake served at Eleanor's birthday and which Sean has a left-over piece of is a Red Velvet Cake which is also known as a Waldorf Astoria Cake.
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Goofs:
Continuity: In the second bath scene near the end of the movie, the amount of mud on Sean's face changes between shots.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Voice of Sean: Ok, let me say this... If I lost my wife and, uh, the next day, a little bird landed on my windowsill, looked me right in the eye, and in plain English said, 'Sean, it's me, Anna. I'm back' What could I say? I guess I'd believe her. Or I'd want to. I'd be stuck with a bird. But other than that, no. I'm a man of science. I just don't believe that mumbo-jumbo. Now, that's gonna have to be the last question. I need to go running before I head home.
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Voice of Sean: Ok, let me say this... If I lost my wife and, uh, the next day, a little bird landed on my windowsill, looked me right in the eye, and in plain English said, 'Sean, it's me, Anna. I'm back' What could I say? I guess I'd believe her. Or I'd want to. I'd be stuck with a bird. But other than that, no. I'm a man of science. I just don't believe that mumbo-jumbo. Now, that's gonna have to be the last question. I need to go running before I head home.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Stepford Wives (2004) (V)
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Soundtrack:
Die Walküre: Erster Aufzug
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FAQ
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I can understand why people react so aversely to this film, but, in Birth's defence, it's quite a demanding a piece for it to suit everyone's tastes.
Granted, the plot is slightly unpalatable, and yes, there are instances when the film appears to veer into senslessness, but, unless you want a clear-cut resolution, this cannot quite be written off as shoddy work on the part of anyone involved. Most of the complaints made about Birth have come from people who cannot get past the plot elements of the film, namely, the flirtation with pedophilia. It is uncomfortable, quite so, but that precisely is the point... Moreover, it's worth noting that the characters themselves find it repelling, and that there is nary a sexual undercurrent between Sean and Anna.
I believe one could argue, very strongly, that this plot device is merely a catalyst to throw Anna's psyche into relief. In the end, whether the boy is Sean or not proves irrelevant; the film is less about a bizarre happening than about the extreme psychological test it brings about. It's intense analysis of love, grief, need and the leaps of faith...
Given this set-up, the execution is flawless. What the screenplay does, quite beautifully, is convey silent emotions; it understands, better than most films, that communication is often non-verbal, and in this situation, when the very thing at stake is reason, it is logical that the characters would be at a loss for words. If any given person were to be in Anna's situation...what would they do? How would you react if someone close to you were living through this?
Jonathan Glazer's direction is splendid, building up a somber, airless mood and coaxing superlative performances out of the entire cast. Kidman's performance is somewhat mannered, yet she completely, effortlessly inhabits a difficult role; it is a brave, piercing, bravura performance. She captures Anna's desperation and fragility, but also her privileged lifestyle and upbringing, and the mad undercurrents grief has brought about. The so-called opera scene will be, years from now, considered a seminal moment in her career. Bright is chillingly effective, registering an intensity that is somewhat unsettling, and the supporting turns--which, with limited material flesh out characters, build histories and express emotions that the screenplay only implies--are sterling, especially in the case of Bacall and Howard.
Technically, the film is a marvel. Two things are worth noting: Harris Savides' wonderful cinematography (there are at least three iconic sequences in the film), which creates a look and a mood that is at once foreboding and exquisitely beautiful, and Alexandre Desplat's splendid score, which underscores the drama without becoming obtrusive and blends symphonic melodies with a hi-lo undercurrent that creates an odd womb-like effect.
Lovely, heartbreaking, unforgettable.