reviewBIRTH

"Birth," the first feature from director Jonathan Glazer following the sharp "Sexy Beast," is a
complete oddity: It's a collection of stunning scenes -- beautifully scored, impeccably
photographed, finely acted -- that add up to a mood more than a movie. The plot is paper-thin but
the emotion is immovably real, a combination one rarely sees executed to such exacting effect with
so much talent behind and in front of the camera.

To delve into specifics, Nicole Kidman plays a forlorn fiancee who meets a sullen ten-year-old boy
claiming to be her reincarnated, deceased husband from a decade past. The depth of loss and the
permanence of love are themes explored -- yet left unarticulated -- that resonate through the sheer
power of the performers' wills. Lauren Bacall is a bitter wit; Anne Heche seethes with spurned
rage; Danny Huston displays an understandable frustration. The characters may not be well-drawn,
but they're well-played.

Some of Glazer's best work has come from his earlier career in music videos. In clips like
Radiohead's "Street Spirit" and Unkle's "Rabbit in Your Headlights," the helmer creates tense and
somber vistas that simultaneously awe and well tears. It's a difficult task to stir such emotion, but
it's a talent Glazer has and one that will ultimately make him a sensational auteur.

Thus there's no denying the effectivess of the imagery at play. One scene in particular stands out
as evocative of the film as a whole: Kidman, sitting down in a concert hall after arriving late,
simply stares straight ahead for what seems like an eternity. As the music swells, so do her eyes --
and it's as if we can see her sanity slowly melting away into nothingness. She wants so badly for
her dead husband to be alive, yet can't grasp at the logical reality that a child could be him. That an
actress could convey this all through a single facial expression is a testament to Kidman's emotional
resolve.

So while "Birth" ultimately leaves more questions than it answers, the film is a commendable effort
that, while not exactly advancing the director's canon, clearly shows a command over style and
visual substance. When this finally welds with distinct narrative thrust, what a film that will be.