Anna (Nicole Kidman) has been a widow for ten years, ever since her husband, Sean, dropped dead while jogging. However, she has finally decided to move on and marry her new man, Joseph (Danny Huston). However, when a young boy (Cameron Bright) turns up unannounced and declares that he is the late Sean, he rocks their entire world. At first he is treated with amusement, followed by apprehension. When it becomes evident that he knows things only Sean would know, even Anna begins to believe that he just might be telling the truth.

Birth is director Jonathan Glazer's second feature film. His debut, Sexy Beast, was critically acclaimed. However, like fellow directors Spike Jonze, Mark Romanek and David Fincher; Glazer worked for years as a music video director, helming clips for Blur, Massive Attack, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, U.N.K.L.E, Radiohead and many more. Glazer's experienced hand is evident in Birth, as the film has a very distinct "look" about it. Every scene has a dominant colour, and there is a "stillness" about the photography. Every shot could be taken out and be just as effective on its own, and I think that shows how incredibly talented and confident the people behind the camera were.

For some, the central premise of Birth may seem preposterous. After all, the idea that a ten-year-old could be someone's dead husband is pretty far fetched, even by recent cinema standards. However, because the film treats the subject with such seriousness, it manages to work. We react in much the same way as Anna and her family when we first hear the premise, but as the film slowly weaves its way on, we find ourselves gradually drawn in to the boy's claims. Suddenly, the idea isn't quite as silly any more, and the so-called controversial scene - that of Cameron Bright and Nicole Kidman sharing a bath - doesn't seem all that out of place. It is the mark of a good filmmaker when they are able to present you with something potentially ridiculous, and then utterly convince you of that premise less than an hour later.

The performances also go a long way towards convincing you of the legitimacy of the plot. I have to admit to disliking Nicole Kidman intensely in almost everything she has done, and I consider her to be one of the most overrated "stars" of recent memory. To have Lauren Bacall play a supporting role as her mother - which she does perfectly, of course - seemed almost insulting. However, Kidman is utterly convincing in this film. The young star, Cameron Bright, was last seen as the creepy child in Godsend, another film that asked the question 'Can a person live on in another body?' He once again shows a maturity beyond his years, and is one of the few child actors that isn't outright annoying.

Birth doesn't go for cheap sensationalism or perversion, as the AFA would have you believe, but instead aims for a quiet contemplation of an age-old question. While some may find this film slow paced, even at 96 minutes, it does have a way of drawing you in and holding your attention. An incredibly well-crafted film that is an indication that we will see more great things from Glazer in the future.

Birth is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio (16:9 enhanced), and for the most part looks pretty good. As I mentioned above, the film has a very distinct "winter" look, and there is a "stillness" to the photography. As such, there are some very distinct visual images that stand out.

Detail is quite good, with a subdued colour palette of pale green, beige and other winter hues. While I suspect the colour is a stylistic choice, there is also a heavy amount of grain present. I'm not sure if the grain was part of the filmmaker's intention, but it certainly makes the detail - especially in the darker scenes - less than sharp. It also means that the black levels are not exactly black. See, this is where a director's commentary would come in handy.

An adequate print, although some of the problems could be attributed to the stylistic choices of the filmmakers.

Birth is a very "quiet" film, with the stillness of the images being accompanied by a minimal soundtrack. Most of the sound comes from the front three speakers, and even then the dialogue has to be cranked up a little. I suspect this may have been intentional, because when the surround effect does kick in - usually as a result of Alexandre Desplat's dramatic score - you really sit up and take notice. However, this really does make watching the rest of the film, as we had to turn the subtitles on several times to catch what was being said. So it wasn't just my concert-induced deafness to blame.

The audio is merely average, and I kind of expected more from a music video director.

However, those keen to see more Jonathan Glazer should look out for the forthcoming Work of Director Jonathan Glazer, which contains many of his music videos and short films, as well as some interviews with the cast and crew of Birth. It will only be available in the US at first, but it is well worth importing.

I'll freely admit that I put off seeing this film because of my disinclination to see Nicole Kidman, and my fears that this would be too 'arty' for the sake of it. However, I'm glad I relented because this is one of the most beautifully shot and emotional pictures of recent memory. The slow pace will draw in most viewers, although I would understand if that same slow pace put other viewers off. Regardless, if anyone is avoid seeing this film because they share the same fear as the AFA, then put those fears to rest or else you will miss something you might otherwise enjoy.

The video and audio transfers are adequate, although they do nothing to distinguish themselves. The virtually non-existent set of extras is also disappointing, as I had hope for some input from Jonathan Glazer.

Recommended.