Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- ominous
- melancholic
- eerie
- late night arthouse viewing
- quiet introspective evening
What critics said
Critics broadly agreed that the film is beautifully mounted and atmospherically compelling, but divided over its implausible, muddled premise and resolution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Young Sean's claim to be Anna's dead husband remains the central destabilizing mystery and is treated with deliberate uncertainty.
Anna's unresolved love for Sean intensifies when the boy appears, disrupting her engagement and daily life.
The film's chamber-piece atmosphere, formal compositions, and recurring opera context make Anna's private turmoil feel grand yet controlled.
Engagement gatherings, friendships, and family interiors become sites of metaphysical and emotional disturbance after Young Sean's arrival.
Films like Birth, and why
Rosemary's Baby
shares ominous psychological tension, unsettling supernatural implications, and an atmosphere of grief surrounding an intimate domestic relationship
The Others
shares ambiguous supernatural premises, emotionally destabilized protagonists, and elegant but disquieting arthouse suspense
Vertigo
shares obsessive grief, uncanny identity questions, and a slow-burning blend of romance, mystery, and psychological unease
The Double Life of Véronique
shares a mournful romantic atmosphere, emotionally divided characters, and stylized melodrama focused on loss and impossible attachment
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonathan Glazer
- Release Date
- 2004-10-29
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (792)
Cast
- Nicole Kidman
- Cameron Bright
- Danny Huston
- Lauren Bacall
- Alison Elliott
- Arliss Howard
- Michael Desautels
- Anne Heche
- Peter Stormare
- Ted Levine
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Birth about?
- A grieving widow's carefully rebuilt future fractures when a ten-year-old boy insists he is her reincarnated husband.
- What is Birth like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Birth as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Birth violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Birth.
- What did critics think of Birth?
- Critics broadly agreed that the film is beautifully mounted and atmospherically compelling, but divided over its implausible, muddled premise and resolution.
- Which films are like Birth?
- Films with a similar feel include Rosemary's Baby, The Others, Vertigo, and The Double Life of Véronique.
- How long is Birth?
- Birth runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Birth?
- In United States, Birth is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
