Birthmarked is a small, independent movie which received a very limited theatrical release in the United States, and is now available through video-on-demand – most notably, on Netflix. It is a multi-layered musing on the concept of nature versus nurture, and has been somewhat inexplicably maligned by critics. Granted, it is unusual in its tone and pacing, and this is particularly true of the third act, when the various character threads hurtle toward the finish line in a less than elegant fashion. But there is a lot to love about this movie – not least, its examination of the social role of women.

The film is directed by Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais, from a script by Marc Tulin, and stars Toni Collette and Matthew Goode as scientists Catherine and Ben. Meeting while working at a university, the tw...

Please subscribe to keep reading.