This is very much what you would expect from a dark ballet story in terms of the rivalry, backstabbing, abuse, sex, drugs, etc. It has a dreamlike quality to it, wonderful dancing, and a cool setting though that keeps it somewhat interesting even when its not entirely original or unique.
35 Reviews
Cliche Wonderland
Tweetienator21 October 2021
The strongest part of Birds of Paradise is for sure the visual quality. Sadly, the story rides on every cliche regarding ballet I can think of (relationship drama, sex, drugs, total over the board resentment and competition, rich parents being emotional wrecks and evil entities, maestros with a notion to sadism, and I could go on and on). I just wondered the whole time when the girls (and boys) got time to do their study and training - remember, the setting is an elite dancer school. Also the questions between being an artist or following the rule of traditional classic dance is the wrong question - if I want to paint a piece in the style of Rembrandt I can't do action painting techniques - modern dance, classic dance, freestyle, whatever, it's up to you to chose the path you want to follow. I watched a few documentaries on the matter of elite ballet schools and groups and I did not get the impression that those dancers or teachers were maniacs, drug addicts and so on. Anyway, acting is good and the cinematography did hold my attention, was a real pleasure - last but not least, a better crafted and less stereotyped plot, and Birds of Paradise could have been a really good movie. Verdict: compared to Black Swan it is obvious that Birds of Paradise lacks of depth and originality story-wise. Exact rate: 5 + 1 bonus for the visuals only.
Not bad at all
R_Alex_Jenkins28 September 2021
Considering the amount of fodder on Prime video, I was expecting mostly filler and there was a point where I asked myself what the movie was actually supposed to be about?
And did it rise above that and finally mean anything? No, it didn't, but I watched it all the way through and kept on hoping for something bigger and deeper, which is all you can ask for, even though you don't necessarily get it.
Beautiful people, not too cheesy, some pretty good acting, a few good songs and mostly great presentation. The film didn't try too hard and I liked it for its simplicity and eroticism and for not handing everything out on a plate.
An entertaining watch that failed to hit major highs because the core story just isn't strong enough, but still classy and subtle enough to maintain a steady 7/10.
And did it rise above that and finally mean anything? No, it didn't, but I watched it all the way through and kept on hoping for something bigger and deeper, which is all you can ask for, even though you don't necessarily get it.
Beautiful people, not too cheesy, some pretty good acting, a few good songs and mostly great presentation. The film didn't try too hard and I liked it for its simplicity and eroticism and for not handing everything out on a plate.
An entertaining watch that failed to hit major highs because the core story just isn't strong enough, but still classy and subtle enough to maintain a steady 7/10.
A mix of everything I've seen....
Susana_loves_movies24 September 2021
This movie starts out promising, but from "save the last dance" to "black swan", it will remind you of all those scenes, some so alike it's not even funny. The cast is bland, the acting is bland, there are no great dance scenes as they are almost poorly filmed or cut. The end kinda saves it, and so does the contrived friendship between the two main portagonists, but that's about it. Watchable.
Visually Original
Basketball_Tipoff15 November 2021
Reads as a cliche, that attempts to be an original. The attempt succeeded, in humanising the expected villains of the story. It examines the full variety of motivations of goal driven people and you find yourself rooting for people to find the best version of themself. It manages to reflect who we are, when we are in similar situations. It is not a fairytale in the end, and realistically dark when it should be.
Expect a rich kid poor kid story that is realistic.
Expect a rich kid poor kid story that is realistic.
Nothing happened
isaacochoterena26 September 2021
The story of this movie does not exist, there are some moments of astonishment but nothing more.
There is no story to follow, there is nothing to rely on to make a plot twist, turning them into moments of wonder, which cause curiosity and are the highlight of the script. There is never a development of each character, there are many characters that end up discarding and the end is left to interpretation. However, there are things to highlight such as the performances, especially that of Kristine Froseth, the choreography and the coordination are good.
It's a shame that the talent of those involved is wasted by a script so lazy and boring that it says absolutely nothing.
There is no story to follow, there is nothing to rely on to make a plot twist, turning them into moments of wonder, which cause curiosity and are the highlight of the script. There is never a development of each character, there are many characters that end up discarding and the end is left to interpretation. However, there are things to highlight such as the performances, especially that of Kristine Froseth, the choreography and the coordination are good.
It's a shame that the talent of those involved is wasted by a script so lazy and boring that it says absolutely nothing.
Electric YA adaption of the genre
LussvonTrier29 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Anger that's kept inside, raw emotions that pour into dance, romance, darkness, unbreakable bonds that break, enemies turned into friends turned into lovers turned into enemies and then friends again.. WOAH!
I don't remember the last time I enjoyed an Indie film so much. Probably Joel Coen is right. Streaming is good as it lets such experimental films, that give birth to future starts, exist. They (Froseth and Silvers) were both phenomenal.
My heart was pumping so fast during the entire movie. It was dark enough but at every minute I felt like it could turn from dark to scary to horrifying in a heartbeat. It's like waiting for a jump scare but way, way creepier. The music amplified every scene to an extreme. I didn't know what to expect at any moment. Will Marine betray Kate? Will Kate kill Marine? Will Marine commit suicide? Are they in love? Is Kate using Marine now? Would they ditch Felipe and dance as partners? Anything was possible. But more importantly..
.. The Story! It was magnificent. It's so rare that an arthouse/independent movie has a solid screenplay. It's about family, loss, friendship, sex, the roughness of first attraction, betrayal and redemption. You don't pay for perfection, you pay for romance.
Froseth's Marine is probably one of the most emotionally mature characters I have ever seen in modern cinema. She was destined to become a prima donna and dance in Paris Opera but she chose the path that will make her - happy - rather than fulfill a destiny. I wonder how many of us would choose that. That's a phenomenal message to send to every young woman watching the film. She was insanely strong, she formed friendships, she showed vulnerability, she kept promises, she wasn't jealous. She had both genuine grace and raw boldness.
Silvers's Kate is more of an i-have-got-this-one-chance-at-life character. Usually, in life as well, the one that has nothing to go back to is more prone to betrayal. The film does a great job depicting that dark turn. She forms a friendship and just when she feels a genuine connection everyone starts pointing out that her new friend just uses her, so she tries to get the upper hand. Ultimately, she chooses becoming M, rather than being with M. Kate's worries turn into paranoia as she starts to falsely believe that she (Kate) is the better one out of them but M will still get ahead with the help of family money. At that point she commits a bitter betrayal which changes the trajectory of the film. However, M's response to betrayal is smth out of this world. She doesn't get angry or vengeful. M (Marine) continues to root for Kate and just goes her separate path.
Birds of Paradise is a quentessential picture about female rivalry, friendship and attraction. You can compare it with Suspiria and Black Swan. But trust me, it has a lot of its own going on to be different enough. People are speculating whether this is a tale of friendship or romance between the female leads. I would go with friendship. However, labeling relationships is wrong imho. As weird as this may sound but two females can have sex and still be friends and nothing more. Human relationships don't have to be structural and binary. We feel what we feel. Has it been a more queer version of the Black Swan, I believe it would have become more popular but this way, it's more neccessary. And it fills the right holes.
The movie undoubtedly has its shortcoming. In particular, the transitions from strangers to enemies to friends is not smooth at all. It all happens to fast and takes to little. But for the 1.5h runtime, you couldn't hope for more.
The movie also has the most exciting and suffocating sex scene I have seen since Eyes Wide Shut. You don't actually see any sex happening but the glances, the music, the touches - you call feel it all.
I don't remember the last time I enjoyed an Indie film so much. Probably Joel Coen is right. Streaming is good as it lets such experimental films, that give birth to future starts, exist. They (Froseth and Silvers) were both phenomenal.
My heart was pumping so fast during the entire movie. It was dark enough but at every minute I felt like it could turn from dark to scary to horrifying in a heartbeat. It's like waiting for a jump scare but way, way creepier. The music amplified every scene to an extreme. I didn't know what to expect at any moment. Will Marine betray Kate? Will Kate kill Marine? Will Marine commit suicide? Are they in love? Is Kate using Marine now? Would they ditch Felipe and dance as partners? Anything was possible. But more importantly..
.. The Story! It was magnificent. It's so rare that an arthouse/independent movie has a solid screenplay. It's about family, loss, friendship, sex, the roughness of first attraction, betrayal and redemption. You don't pay for perfection, you pay for romance.
Froseth's Marine is probably one of the most emotionally mature characters I have ever seen in modern cinema. She was destined to become a prima donna and dance in Paris Opera but she chose the path that will make her - happy - rather than fulfill a destiny. I wonder how many of us would choose that. That's a phenomenal message to send to every young woman watching the film. She was insanely strong, she formed friendships, she showed vulnerability, she kept promises, she wasn't jealous. She had both genuine grace and raw boldness.
Silvers's Kate is more of an i-have-got-this-one-chance-at-life character. Usually, in life as well, the one that has nothing to go back to is more prone to betrayal. The film does a great job depicting that dark turn. She forms a friendship and just when she feels a genuine connection everyone starts pointing out that her new friend just uses her, so she tries to get the upper hand. Ultimately, she chooses becoming M, rather than being with M. Kate's worries turn into paranoia as she starts to falsely believe that she (Kate) is the better one out of them but M will still get ahead with the help of family money. At that point she commits a bitter betrayal which changes the trajectory of the film. However, M's response to betrayal is smth out of this world. She doesn't get angry or vengeful. M (Marine) continues to root for Kate and just goes her separate path.
Birds of Paradise is a quentessential picture about female rivalry, friendship and attraction. You can compare it with Suspiria and Black Swan. But trust me, it has a lot of its own going on to be different enough. People are speculating whether this is a tale of friendship or romance between the female leads. I would go with friendship. However, labeling relationships is wrong imho. As weird as this may sound but two females can have sex and still be friends and nothing more. Human relationships don't have to be structural and binary. We feel what we feel. Has it been a more queer version of the Black Swan, I believe it would have become more popular but this way, it's more neccessary. And it fills the right holes.
The movie undoubtedly has its shortcoming. In particular, the transitions from strangers to enemies to friends is not smooth at all. It all happens to fast and takes to little. But for the 1.5h runtime, you couldn't hope for more.
The movie also has the most exciting and suffocating sex scene I have seen since Eyes Wide Shut. You don't actually see any sex happening but the glances, the music, the touches - you call feel it all.
Getting numb
kosmasp13 July 2022
No pun intended - or maybe not the way you think. On the other hand, if you've read a few of my reviews, you may have already guessed that I sometimes mean multiple things with what I write. In this case, it is about the numbness ballet dancers go through (especially with their feet), but also the numbness some viewers may feel with movies about ballet.
We have seen a few of them - and this may not have too many new things that it can introduce. But the interplay between the two main characters, their relationship that is not entirely clear, but also the visual interpretation of certain things, does give it an edge.
Not the best movie ever, but a really nice effort and really well acted too. The story and the amount of passion thrown at us is really something in a good sense. Still you have to suspend your disbelief and fill in some gaps to be thoroughly entertained. Yes the movie does not give you all the answers - but you can deduct from some of the behavior what it tries to tell you.
Criticism and all that included of course. Passion and fanaticism go hand in hand sometimes! Not to mention expectations from the outside ... whatever is your driving motor ... and whatever is inside your head, for better or worse.
We have seen a few of them - and this may not have too many new things that it can introduce. But the interplay between the two main characters, their relationship that is not entirely clear, but also the visual interpretation of certain things, does give it an edge.
Not the best movie ever, but a really nice effort and really well acted too. The story and the amount of passion thrown at us is really something in a good sense. Still you have to suspend your disbelief and fill in some gaps to be thoroughly entertained. Yes the movie does not give you all the answers - but you can deduct from some of the behavior what it tries to tell you.
Criticism and all that included of course. Passion and fanaticism go hand in hand sometimes! Not to mention expectations from the outside ... whatever is your driving motor ... and whatever is inside your head, for better or worse.
Bro, what is the plot of this movie?
mckenzieschwarze26 September 2021
Great Acting but Rushed Storyline
frivaldodjane-7385213 February 2024
This could have been a really good film. A masterpiece even. I hate that it missed that chance because it didn't exactly know what to focus on, what message it wanted to put out there, it is giving me the feeling as if it was not edited right.
The film had its shining moments and the acting is superb especially Kristine Frรธseth's performance - just wow. She is so believable in her portrayal of Marine.
But the rest of it, most importantly the storyline felt rushed, like there were too many things going on and not enough time to tell them. Themes and plots were being juggled all at the same time and it it did not come out well.
I wish the directiom and the writing have been focused on the darker themes of betrayal, self sabotage, the grit and competition, the mentality and toxic environment of ballet, if it was able to balance the themes well and have given it the time to simmer then this would be a legend of a film.
Instead I found myself confused having to digest new pieces of information about the characters watching it all unfold too fast whilst still trying to process what had happened a few scenes back.
The choreography is brilliant ut ther ewer enit enough dancing shown, the cinematography will take you there but then once you the story becomes lacking. We are gifted the chemistry of the two main leads but even that was not maximized.
It felt as though I went to eat at a restaurant expecting to have a good meal that will fill me but found the dishes uncooked and left feeling even hungrier.
The film had its shining moments and the acting is superb especially Kristine Frรธseth's performance - just wow. She is so believable in her portrayal of Marine.
But the rest of it, most importantly the storyline felt rushed, like there were too many things going on and not enough time to tell them. Themes and plots were being juggled all at the same time and it it did not come out well.
I wish the directiom and the writing have been focused on the darker themes of betrayal, self sabotage, the grit and competition, the mentality and toxic environment of ballet, if it was able to balance the themes well and have given it the time to simmer then this would be a legend of a film.
Instead I found myself confused having to digest new pieces of information about the characters watching it all unfold too fast whilst still trying to process what had happened a few scenes back.
The choreography is brilliant ut ther ewer enit enough dancing shown, the cinematography will take you there but then once you the story becomes lacking. We are gifted the chemistry of the two main leads but even that was not maximized.
It felt as though I went to eat at a restaurant expecting to have a good meal that will fill me but found the dishes uncooked and left feeling even hungrier.
A Joy Ride
Saoustou8825 September 2021
This film was amazing. I knew it from the trailer as Kristine Froseth is a wonderful actress and so is her up and coming co-star Diana Silvers. Both very beautiful girls, although Kristine was a more belieavble ballerina due to her figure, height, grace etc. I enjoyed every moment...it's tense! Jacqueline Bisset gave a strong performance as usual and without saying too much, you can compare it to the masterpiece that was 'Black Swan' but on steroids. It is very seductive, beautiful cinematography and sometimes good choreography but most of all and surprisingly, the ending is unpredictable. Simply put the finale is perfect.
Hothouse Flowers ...
Howlin Wolf24 September 2021
Black Swan sequel 2.0
MovieCriticOnline29 September 2021
Why does IMDB keep deleting negative reviews of this film?
Anyway, this was good when it starred Mila and Natalie. Why did they need to remake Black Swan?
This was literally Black Swan no matter how you spin it. The lead was even cast because she looked like Natalie Portman. There were almost identical shots in this. Shame on Hollywood!! Shame on you! Time for some NEW ideas, please.
Skip this!
Anyway, this was good when it starred Mila and Natalie. Why did they need to remake Black Swan?
This was literally Black Swan no matter how you spin it. The lead was even cast because she looked like Natalie Portman. There were almost identical shots in this. Shame on Hollywood!! Shame on you! Time for some NEW ideas, please.
Skip this!
A student project with money
hello-411231 October 2021
Being a dancer growing up, I enjoy ballet movies if they are done somewhat descent.
Unfortunately this is not one!
At the beginning, as a movie nut I thought ok at least this is entertaining right? And that was pretty much the highlight of the movie the first time the main characters goes to the club.
You can tell this is kinda low budget, not the worst low budget but you can tell more and more as the movie progresses. Characters are not developed, story plot is weak, and lots of bad acting.
They want to be too many things- horror, drama, a little bit of sci-fi, a ballet movie... they got a tiny bit of everything but not enough of anything.
It's unfortunate... it's best describe as a not funny version of Mean girls with tutu, sex and drugs(ok I might've just made it sound way better than it really is!)
Unfortunately this is not one!
At the beginning, as a movie nut I thought ok at least this is entertaining right? And that was pretty much the highlight of the movie the first time the main characters goes to the club.
You can tell this is kinda low budget, not the worst low budget but you can tell more and more as the movie progresses. Characters are not developed, story plot is weak, and lots of bad acting.
They want to be too many things- horror, drama, a little bit of sci-fi, a ballet movie... they got a tiny bit of everything but not enough of anything.
It's unfortunate... it's best describe as a not funny version of Mean girls with tutu, sex and drugs(ok I might've just made it sound way better than it really is!)
Costume drama...?
mrsvmiller9 October 2021
Greatness
alpheusthelover24 September 2021
This is very well shot with good camera moves. The score and production design help the experience so much and are effective. The storytelling is nuanced. The direction was on point. I really enjoyed the way the information was delivered.
The tone was great. Sometimes I expected it to go some ways but it surprised me.
Sometimes the movie moved between genres which I thought made the storytelling better and helped the experience. The performances were great too.
The choreography was amazing. It was beautiful but it also was a big part of the storytelling and was meaningful and symbolic and poetic.
It does what it wanted to do in an effective way imo.
This is personal but the movie made me think about greatness in our society, and what it even means. Maybe there are more ways to interpret the word. I think with paying attention it is not hard to understand it during the first watch, but I also enjoyed the second watch a lot too.
The tone was great. Sometimes I expected it to go some ways but it surprised me.
Sometimes the movie moved between genres which I thought made the storytelling better and helped the experience. The performances were great too.
The choreography was amazing. It was beautiful but it also was a big part of the storytelling and was meaningful and symbolic and poetic.
It does what it wanted to do in an effective way imo.
This is personal but the movie made me think about greatness in our society, and what it even means. Maybe there are more ways to interpret the word. I think with paying attention it is not hard to understand it during the first watch, but I also enjoyed the second watch a lot too.
Run of the mill ballet movie
roxmewild8 October 2021
I watched this movie more for the reason to see if it was anything new or different.
Unfortunately it ran along the same lines as every movie that has been done regarding balllet. As in there are always the mean gals and the nice gals competing for a dance prize that only 1 gal and 1 boy can win , maybe the slight glimpses of the backgrounds of the main characters may differ from previous movies but essentially it is much the same!
The only difference that I can see is nobody dies or is killed by the end so that I suppose is a slight twist . However not enough to make this movie stand out from the likes of Black swan and all the other generic ballet movies.
Unfortunately it ran along the same lines as every movie that has been done regarding balllet. As in there are always the mean gals and the nice gals competing for a dance prize that only 1 gal and 1 boy can win , maybe the slight glimpses of the backgrounds of the main characters may differ from previous movies but essentially it is much the same!
The only difference that I can see is nobody dies or is killed by the end so that I suppose is a slight twist . However not enough to make this movie stand out from the likes of Black swan and all the other generic ballet movies.
A poor film without a beginning and an end
ernesti25 September 2021
I didn't have high expectations for this film as I already knew that streaming services are like the discount shelves of DVDs in the past. Those shelves were full of titles that weren't accepted to silverscreen or had done quite poorly. This one will not do any better than that.
After half an hour I was so bored and angry that I had to stop watching and just out of curiosity I just continued to watch it on the next day. It's something remarkable that a film with great cast has one dimensional characters without background story, poor script and dialogue, doesn't engage and each scene is disconnected from each other. There's no climax, no beginning nor end and no idea what the film wants to say. It was said to be scarier than Black Swan and some kind of hybrid of Suspiria. Whoa, but the creators didn't have a slightest idea what they were doing.
It's just a poorly executed drama which left me quite angry.
After half an hour I was so bored and angry that I had to stop watching and just out of curiosity I just continued to watch it on the next day. It's something remarkable that a film with great cast has one dimensional characters without background story, poor script and dialogue, doesn't engage and each scene is disconnected from each other. There's no climax, no beginning nor end and no idea what the film wants to say. It was said to be scarier than Black Swan and some kind of hybrid of Suspiria. Whoa, but the creators didn't have a slightest idea what they were doing.
It's just a poorly executed drama which left me quite angry.
Are they paying people to give 10's to this poor mans Black Swan rip-0ff???
midnitepantera24 December 2021
Sorry this movie is NOT a 10, it's not even a 5. If you like acid trip style scenes and glitter you will enjoy some of it. That earned 2 pts from me. LOL ;D But the characters were ALL so mean and Snotty and Clichรฉ Rude French people. Even the amiable, tall, awkward Kate becomes quite detestable pretty early on. So there was no one left to root for. :(
And I guess when you show up for ballet school you better remember to pack the biggest Knife from that Butcher Block at home in your suitcase along with your tutu and toe shoes. Cause your gonna Need it! :O More a course in Back-stabbing 101 than ballet. The other 2 stars were for the bird story and the architecture. But otherwise PASS ...
And I guess when you show up for ballet school you better remember to pack the biggest Knife from that Butcher Block at home in your suitcase along with your tutu and toe shoes. Cause your gonna Need it! :O More a course in Back-stabbing 101 than ballet. The other 2 stars were for the bird story and the architecture. But otherwise PASS ...
Dark ballet arthouse film that leaves nothing to care about.
cruise012 March 2022
1.5 out of 5 stars.
Its a dark ballet story about girls training and competing. While getting involved in drama, sex, drugs, ect. Young adults experimenting and lots of drugs and sex. The plot is dull. The direction is one trippy arthouse film project that has more substance on colorful and mediation music than having any memorable characters and story. Tedious performances. Boring script does make this film very forgettable.
Its a dark ballet story about girls training and competing. While getting involved in drama, sex, drugs, ect. Young adults experimenting and lots of drugs and sex. The plot is dull. The direction is one trippy arthouse film project that has more substance on colorful and mediation music than having any memorable characters and story. Tedious performances. Boring script does make this film very forgettable.
I really enjoyed this
grangeheights25 September 2021
A waste of time
praesulo30 August 2023
I'm sorry, but this was a mess! If you enjoy ballet movies, don't watch this one; but it always up to you.
If you ask me what is this movie about, I will not be able to give you a good answer; where is the story? I'm still lost!
There is drama, there is horror, there is ballet, there is sci-fi (-ish... maybe???). They bring everything to give you nothing.
The characters are just there because someone decided they had to exist and that's all, because there is no development for them.
Some performances are good, but nothing "Wooow! This is amazing". I would never pay to watch them dancing, and that's a problem.
If you ask me what is this movie about, I will not be able to give you a good answer; where is the story? I'm still lost!
There is drama, there is horror, there is ballet, there is sci-fi (-ish... maybe???). They bring everything to give you nothing.
The characters are just there because someone decided they had to exist and that's all, because there is no development for them.
Some performances are good, but nothing "Wooow! This is amazing". I would never pay to watch them dancing, and that's a problem.
Phenomenal movie!
tv-405-21124127 September 2021
I put this movie on simply to have something running in the background while working from home but ended up so distracted I postponed work. I have zero idea what the negative comments are about, it's absolutely worth a watch. Such a delightful surprise! Great acting all the way through by so many talented people old and young. Amazing choreography, beautiful music and so many contrasting twists and turns underway. Yes the plot is obvious from the beginning, but not at all boring and with tons of great twists and turns underway!
The most brilliant ballet movie since the 'Black Swan'.
Starfilmsgold27 September 2021
The actors actually took up months of ballet training and look as professional and beautiful as the dancers from a top ballet company. 'Birds' pairing, stunning choreography and costumes. Have you watching on edge, almost dreading the ending - will friendship survive such fierce dance rivalry? There can only be one winner, or can two be no.1 - together? Or is it a dance to death?
Watch on Amazon Prime and find out for yourself. Love every minute of this movie. (Did dance classes myself, dance is addictive). ๐๐พโญ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐
Watch on Amazon Prime and find out for yourself. Love every minute of this movie. (Did dance classes myself, dance is addictive). ๐๐พโญ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐
See also
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