(Review originally written at 7 December 2005)
This movie is a visually beautiful one to watch. Further more it's a great movie to watch for its characters, that are all build up well and played good by the actors. Director Jonathan Glazer provides some visually powerful scenes with the help of the actors that perhaps feel a bit too theatrical at times but nevertheless it makes "Birth" an original and good enough movie to watch.
Reason why "Birth" is not a perfect movie is due to the story. Everyone already knows about the controversial story about this movie but the problem with the story is not its controversially, it's its believability. The story is told in a realistic way and all of the actors are also realistic in their roles but still the story comes across as unbelievable and not credible. Perhaps this not only due to the story but also because how the story is told. It is all beautiful to look at but some of the moments are rather far fetched and not explained well enough or deepened out good enough, which makes the movie not always a believable one to watch.
Like I said before there is nothing wrong with the looks of this movie. There are some artistic and original sequences that I rather liked, although that also is what makes "Birth" a movie that not just for everyone. You have to be a regular movie watcher that also is able to appreciate slowly told dramas with lots of flair. The musical score by Alexandre Desplat might be a bit out of place at times but its good to listen to nevertheless.
Nicole Kidman is great in the leading role but so is the young Cameron Bright. The movie has a further more very solid supporting cast. Not every character might serve exactly a clear purpose for the story, they still prevent "Birth" from being an one sided flat movie with slow moments in it.
See it for its beauty and don't expect too much from the 'controversial' story. Sure it makes the movie an original one but not always a believable one.
7/10
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