Little Tony DeFranco
11-02-2004, 06:48 AM
Review: Birth
By far, "Birth" is a major disappointment because director Jonathan Glazer had something going with "Sexy Beast", a character crime drama that was superb. This movie is not an awful work, it's just a poor attempt at trying a thoughtful mystery. A woman named Anna (Nichole Kidman tries) lost her husband Sean from a heart attack while jogging in Central Park. 10yrs later and she is about to get married to Joseph (Danny Houston of '21 grams'). They are Upper West Side rich and well to do, and a young boy comes to see Anna to tell her that he is Sean. Disturbed and scared, she begins to believe him. The family and Joseph don't get it when Anna decides to let the boy stay in their home. Is the boy Sean or is it a lie, and is Anna going mad.
Glazer is doing a Kubrick style film with tone, lighting and pace, but it is dull and very slow moving. The characters are also very dull and uninvolving too. Worst of all is the painful script that makes no sense at all. The boys parents go along with the move, and small roles are not explained well. Its all the directors fault and he loses the audience very soon. Pretentious and silly. Not even worth the rental or cable viewing. Houston is very good as the confused Joseph. A brief nude scene and creepy kid actor Cameron Bright ('Godsend' kid is typecast again) is one note. Good cast in family roles like Arliss Howard and Lauren Bacall as mother are both great. Sorry to say it sucked major ass.
Heartbeat is a Love Beat
By far, "Birth" is a major disappointment because director Jonathan Glazer had something going with "Sexy Beast", a character crime drama that was superb. This movie is not an awful work, it's just a poor attempt at trying a thoughtful mystery. A woman named Anna (Nichole Kidman tries) lost her husband Sean from a heart attack while jogging in Central Park. 10yrs later and she is about to get married to Joseph (Danny Houston of '21 grams'). They are Upper West Side rich and well to do, and a young boy comes to see Anna to tell her that he is Sean. Disturbed and scared, she begins to believe him. The family and Joseph don't get it when Anna decides to let the boy stay in their home. Is the boy Sean or is it a lie, and is Anna going mad.
Glazer is doing a Kubrick style film with tone, lighting and pace, but it is dull and very slow moving. The characters are also very dull and uninvolving too. Worst of all is the painful script that makes no sense at all. The boys parents go along with the move, and small roles are not explained well. Its all the directors fault and he loses the audience very soon. Pretentious and silly. Not even worth the rental or cable viewing. Houston is very good as the confused Joseph. A brief nude scene and creepy kid actor Cameron Bright ('Godsend' kid is typecast again) is one note. Good cast in family roles like Arliss Howard and Lauren Bacall as mother are both great. Sorry to say it sucked major ass.
Heartbeat is a Love Beat