| Nicole
Kidman turns in an emotionally charged and fulfilling performance with
her portrayal of Anna. With this role, above all others, she allows
you to see inside the character, making the audience one with Anna as
she transitions and transforms with a mere look. Impassioned and sentient,
Kidman gives inner vision to Anna, as the character unfolds and embraces
the seemingly impossible concept of reincarnation resulting in a powerful
expressiveness that defies description.
Recently seen earlier this
year in "Godsend" a similarly chilling work dealing with cloning
and the essence of reincarnation, Cameron Bright as young Sean is spellbinding.
With a maturity of a man three times his age, Bright has an unnatural
ease with the adult tones, dialogue and mannerisms of his character,
all of which aid in giving voice to the dead husband and adding new
dimensions to this already multi-tiered work. His chemistry with Kidman
actually evokes a sense of tragic romanticism, not to mention a believability
in the theories of reincarnation. I fully expect to see an Oscar nomination
as Best Supporting Oscar for Bright come January given this performance.
Lauren Bacall as Anna's
upper crust, prim and proper mother Eleanor, provides a much needed
grounding and counter balance to the "surreal." And as comes
as no surprise, she is as always, impeccably perfect. Anne Heche also
turns in a winning work with her portrayal of Clara, a woman with her
own mysterious ties to Sean.
Written by the team of
Milo Addica, Jean-Claude Carriere and director Jonathan Glazer, "Birth"
borders on the lubricious and licentious with its not too subtle sexual
undertones in the relationship between Anna and Sean, while constantly
pushing the envelope on the reincarnative premise in an interestingly
provocative manner. Solely due to Kidman's meticulously calculated performance,
does the relationship not go from chaste and inexplicable to mysterious
to salacious smut. Perhaps the most impactful moment of the film arises
from an eloquently, albeit chilling monologue, delivered by Kidman.
And while her delivery is key, it is the words themselves that will
linger long after the film's end. A shortcoming in the script, however,
is a true lack of development in the history of Anna and adult Sean
and the depth of their love and her loss which results in a void as
to an explanation for the intensity of the Anna and young Sean relationship.
Directed by Glazer, this
is an imposingly ominous, yet impeccable, work. From patterned pacing
to the lush contrast-filled cinematography of Harris Savides, "Birth"
is a visually and emotionally impressive work. Adding a profoundness
to the overall essence of the film is the piano-heavy score by Alexandre
Desplat.
Sadly, the excellence of
the film is dampened by its ending as Glazer fails to tie up the many
loose threads that have been set loose throughout the first 75 minutes,
giving rise to even more questions than answers as the final credits
roll.
Anna: Nicole Kidman Young
Sean: Cameron Bright Eleanor: Lauren Bacall
Directed by Jonathan Glazer.
Written by Mile Addica, Jean-Claude Carriere and Jonathan Glazer. Rated
R. (100 min)
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