Birth is available for preorder now in the Criterion Collection.
The Others, To Die For, Eyes Wide Shut, and now Birth. Nicole Kidman is taking over the Criterion Collection, and we’re better for it. Jonathan Glazer’s first entry in the collection is a deeply uncomfortable and shockingly gorgeous exploration of love, loss, and acceptance.
Related: Eyes Wide Shut (4K): Criterion Collection Review
What is Birth about?
Anna (Nicole Kidman, The Northman) is devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, Sean. Ten years later, she’s moved on and begun a new life with her fiancé Joseph (Danny Huston, The Naked Gun). That new life is suddenly disrupted when a young boy (Cameron Bright, X-Men: The Last Stand) shows up at her door, claiming to be the reincarnation of Anna’s deceased husband.
Birth review
Danny Huston (left) and Nicole Kidman (right)
A still from ‘Birth.’
Nicole Kidman as Anna.
Jonathan Glazer has only directed four feature films: Sexy Beast, Birth, Under the Skin, and The Zone of Interest. It’s a true demonstration of quality over quantity. Birth was the only film of his that I hadn’t seen, and now it’s likely my favorite. His films aren’t necessarily rewatchable. They’re incredibly somber, bleak, and emotionally draining. Still, there’s something about Glazer’s 2004 masterpiece that immediately pulled me back for a second viewing. That’s rare for me, and I can only recall one other film that impacted me the same way: Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy.
Nicole Kidman and Danny Huston are perfect, each of them doing some of the best work of their careers. I was a teenager when the film was first released, and its premise had always intrigued me. Finally watching the movie over twenty years later, I was surprised by how effective it was. The story asks uncomfortable questions and dares to address them in an intentionally unsettling manner.
How long do we grieve the loss of a loved one? Does the grieving process ever truly stop? The idea that this ten-year-old boy is Anna’s deceased husband is preposterous. Anna and her family are well educated, yet the allure of reconnecting with Sean is so strong that they allow themselves to consider that the seemingly impossible is true. Glazer’s commitment to exploring the most uncomfortable aspects of this heart-wrenching story makes the impact of Birth unforgettable.
The special features
New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Jonathan Glazer, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Interview from 2004 with Glazer and actor Nicole Kidman
New documentary on the making of the film featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Glazer, producers, and members of the cast
New program on the film’s cinematography featuring interviews with camera operator Craig Haagensen and first assistant cameraman Eric Swanek
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Olivia LaingNew cover by Neil Kellerhouse
Order your copy of Birth (4K) from the Criterion Collection here.
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