In 2004, Nicole Kidman starred in Birth, a mysterious film that sparked controversy among audiences and critics for its depiction of a romantic relationship. The controversy may be the reason why Birth is not often discussed today when going through Kidman’s best films. However, it remains a fascinating entry in Kidman’s career, showcasing her willingness to take on daring roles.
Today, it holds a 41% score on Rotten Tomatoes among critics, and 43% on the audience score. Even though these scores might suggest it’s not worth the time, Birth is one of the best thriller films about its subject you can find. It will certainly make you ask a few important questions, regardless of your beliefs.
What Is Nicole Kidman’s ‘Birth’ About?
In Birth, Kidman plays Anna, a woman living in New York City who’s still trying to reset her life 10 years after her husband Sean mysteriously died while jogging. After that tragic event, Anna met Joseph and eventually agreed to marry him. The problem is that shortly after, a boy appears in their lives. He says his name is Sean, and that he’s the reincarnated soul of Anna’s late husband. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of the film:
It took Anna (Nicole Kidman) 10 years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, but now she’s on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph (Danny Huston), and finally moving on. However, on the night of her engagement party, a young boy named Sean (Cameron Bright) turns up, saying he is her dead husband reincarnated. At first, she ignores the child, but his knowledge of her former husband’s life is uncanny, leading her to believe that he might be telling the truth.
Nicole Kidman’s Reincarnation Film Is a Controversial Gem by a Celebrated Director
Despite featuring Kidman in her prime, the mystery film received polarized reactions from critics and audiences. It grossed just over $23 million from its $20 million production budget, which reflected its reception at the Venice International Film Festival, where it initially premiered. At the festival, people reacted with disgust to the film, though reasons varied. Reports suggest this reaction stemmed from two specific scenes: one in which Kidman kissed the young boy on the lips, and another showing them together in a bathtub. Per the director’s claims, the production of the bathtub scene was carefully controlled and never featured the two performers fully naked.
Kidman’s performance was one of the major highlights of the film. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role, although she lost to Hilary Swank, who swept the award season that year with Million Dollar Baby. Birth was actually in the competition at the Venice festival (Vera Drake came out as the winner).
Director Jonathan Glazer took a nine-year hiatus from filmmaking, returning only when he had the chance to create the alien invasion drama Under the Skin. His most recent film, The Zone of Interest, gained international acclaim and earned him a Best Director nomination at the Academy Awards, where it also received four more nominations, including Best Picture. Ultimately, it won in the categories of Best International Feature Film and Best Sound. Birth is available to stream on Kanopy.
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