Joey Magidson
The 1970s are among as fertile ground for film as there is. Even at the time, storytellers were mining it for material, and that has never ended. So, here a half century later, to see emerging filmmakers still interested in the times, the ways, and how it all made folks feel, speaks to its staying power. Three Birthdays is not the definitive movie about the 70s, but it’s a solid one with some strong acting and a good sense of place
Three Birthdays is a three-hander that gives us a trio of points of view about the issues of the time. Specifically, the sexual revolution is looked at through the eyes of a man, a woman, and a teenage girl. In doing so, we get a slightly unique feel to how the material is approached, which does help to set it apart from the period pack.
Taking place in 1970, we meet Bobbie (Nuala Cleary) right as she’s turning seventeen. Her parents Kate (Annie Parisse) and Rob (Josh Radnor) are professors at a small liberal college. They’re clearly liberal-minded and there’s a fun intellectual dynamic at play. Bobbie is planning to lose her virginity to her boyfriend, which goes well enough, though afterwards she discovers that Kate is having an affair. Unable to handle it, she tells Rob, who informs her that he’s already well aware. They’re embracing free love, though to clearly differing degrees.
Split into three segments, we follow each of the family members on their birthdays as they deal with the evolution of this situation. Bobbie is still thrown and is rethinking a lot of her life, especially in terms of where she wants to go to college. Kate has to decide what to do with her affair, which is taking its toll on Rob. As for Rob, he’s about to be told he’s not getting tenure at the college, while his own affair is wrapping up. Just like the time period, it’s a powder keg that’s bound to ignite before too long.
The trio of Nuala Cleary, Annie Parisse, and Josh Radnor are all pretty good here. Cleary has a strong way of depicting a smart young woman who’s also still younger than she wants to be. There’s complexity there. Parisse feels the most like a mystery, though she comes alive in the third act, which has more of her focus. As for Radnor, he’s best in show with a role that’s a real change of pace ofr him. He’s quiet, but the anguish beneath the surface is handled very well. Supporting players include Jasmine Batchelor, Gus Birney, Guy Burnet, Uly Schlesinger, and more.
Filmmaker Jane Weinstock definitely wants her audience to consider the sexual revolution both in a period context as well as a modern one. The script she penned with Nevin Schreiner isn’t particularly complex, though her direction does accentuate the positives over the negatives. Three Birthdays doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but in thinking about the family dynamics of the 70s, especially tied into the sexual revolution, is interesting. The reveals aren’t surprising at all, but how it all plays out is different than you might expect.
Three Birthdays is an easy watch, which helps considering the heaviness around the margins of this flick. It’s not the type of film to blow your mind, to be sure, but it’s a nice example of what a quiet indie movie can do. Especially if you’re fond of the time period, this is the type of work to play up what’s interesting about it, to solid effect.
SCORE: ★★★
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