Birth/Rebirth, directed by Laura Moss and written by Laura Moss and Brendon J. O’Brien, follows Doctor Rose Casper and Nurse Celie Morales as they attempt to overcome death and resurrect Celie’s daughter, Lila.

The performances are great all around. My favorite performance is Marin Ireland‘s because it is full of character-defining microexpressions. A.J. Lister is worth mentioning because she’s a wonderful child actress. Judy Reyes proves once again that she is so much more than just Carla from Scrubs. The major characters are all rather complex. Rose is obsessed and apathetic, but not emotionless or cruel. It’s a genuine achievement she is believably likable whenever they want her to be. Celie is empathetic and considerate but equally obsessed. The progression of Celie’s character is something I struggle with. The evolution of her character left me wanting. I wonder if that was because she became acclimated to everything too quickly. When her journey was completed, it didn’t feel different from what I was already exposed to. Lila is a perfectly normal, healthy, loving little girl. Her progression constantly left me guessing in the best way. Emily exists. Emily doesn’t get much screen time. Logically, she shouldn’t, but I needed to care about her more than I did. Almost all the character relationships felt familial to me. I was surprised at how quickly Rose and Celie’s dynamic was set into place, but it works. The dialogue is good. The more I think about it more I like it. While this is far from a comedy, it is playful at points, and much of that stems from the dialogue.

At first, I found Birth/Rebirth suspenseful, but the suspense dwindled at some point. It went from being suspenseful to dramatic to occasionally dramatic. Things became rather comfortable, both for the characters and for me. Over time my interest, particularly my emotional investment, did begin to fade. For what it’s worth, it was a slow degradation. The humor works well within all the drama and early mystery. The pacing is fine, but I would have liked more time with these characters. Themes of parenthood, family, purpose, and sacrifice are all explored well. The audio is standard. The music complements the scenes well, but it isn’t the sort to stand out otherwise. The practical effects are great, especially the stuff applied to the actors. Many of the best instances of imagery were centered around these effects. Regardless of which tone was in place, it didn’t shy away from some realistically gruesome images. There is a little bit of bare bottom, but it isn’t depicted in a way that’s remotely sexual. One might argue another scene is inherently sexual, but it is sexual in the least sexual manner possible.

On a technical level Birth/Rebirth checks every box, but that’s not where its heart is. Its heart is with its characters, story, and themes, and it’s here I had some minor conflicts. Everything seemed to build upon itself well, but it should never have allowed me to get comfortable. Once I got comfortable with the characters and the story, it wasn’t able to do enough to drag me out of that sense of comfort when it had to.