Birth

MPAA Rating: R

Entertainment: +1

Content: -3

Birth is a romantic drama set in New Yorks Upper East Side. Anna (Nicole Kidman) lives with her mother (Lauren Bacall) and is engaged to be married to Joseph (Danny Huston) after being widowed for 10 years. But Anna meets a 10-year-old boy named Sean (Cameron Bright) who claims to be her reincarnated dead husband. As Anna spends time with this mysterious boy, she is understandably skeptical about his claims. But she is drawn to this intense little boy and his convincing answers to her probing questions. He knows private and intimate details and is so bold in his love for her that Anna believes in and hopes that he is whom he says he is. Wedding plans are put on hold as is her love for her fianc. She becomes infatuated with the thought that in 11 more years she could actually marry this young man and that her life with her dead husband could be reborn.

In this unsettling film, a grown woman falls in love with a young boy. Setting aside the metaphysical problems of reincarnation, the ramifications of an adult considering that somehow this adult-child relationship could work is the core problem with the film. In demonstrating his bold love for Anna, Sean talks with her about intimate situations from her past (thankfully not in graphic terms), and he seeks intimacy with her including a kiss. In the most uncomfortable scene of the film, Sean comes into the bathroom when Anna is in the tub. He looks at her and proceeds to undress in front of her. He then climbs in with her as if this were an everyday occurrence. The whole concept of reincarnation is batted around among the characters in order to lend credibility to pursuing this taboo topic. Preview does not recommend Birth due to sexual content, nudity and the woman-to-boy relationship.

Preview Reviewer: Brian Hughes
Distributor: New Line

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Once mild (hell 1)

Obscene Language: None

Profanity: Once moderate (G help me)

Violence: Few times mild (arguing between adults, a little scuffling between an adult man and a boy the man actually picks the boy up by his shirt collar and belt loops and escorts him out of a room)

Sex: Few times mild (implied sexual relationship between a man and a woman not married to each other, man and woman not married to each other share a bed and have an implied sexual relationship before marriage); moderate (woman and boy tenderly kiss on the lips); strong (man on top of woman coupling in the nude sexual breathing)

Nudity: Several times mild (boy stands in front of a woman in his underwear); moderate (full rear nudity of a man, boy undresses in front of a woman and nudity is implied as he gets into a bathtub with her); strong (woman frontal nudity with breast exposed, focus on genital area of two adults while coupling although nothing is technically exposed)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Several times mild (discussion of a married relationship between a boy and an adult woman); moderate (admitted infidelity between man and woman; while in bathtub together, woman asks boy, What are you doing? and he responds, Im looking at my wife); strong (woman asks boy if he is ready for a sexual relationship with a woman, woman tells boy that she would entertain the boy)

Drugs: Few times mild (smoking cigarettes, drinking wine and Champaign at social functions and at dinner)

Other: Metaphysics is explored as it pertains to reincarnation and soul sharing

Running Time: 100 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults

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