A ballerina must be extremely disciplined and determined. With all of the sacrifices — both physical and emotional — that go into ballet training, it’s no surprise that the profession produces such compelling drama. Perhaps Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is the most prominent example of this. Birds of Paradise, Amazon’s latest original film, isn’t as highbrow, but it’s still a lot of fun. Therefore, if close female friendships were a dance, they might be ballet: intimate, harmonic, challenging, and brutally high-stakes when pals mean everything in one’s early years. Therefore, Sarah Adina Smith (“Legion”) presents a delectable and fascinating tale about the go-for-broke nature of adolescent companionship in “Birds of Paradise,” constructing a crafty yarn of female animosity and camaraderie set against the backdrop of Paris’ ultra-competitive professional ballet scene.

Birds of Paradise is a 2021 American drama film based on A.K. Small’s 2019 novel Bright Burning Stars. Every generation has a pivotal ballet film. Her inspiration is A.K. Small’s bestselling young-adult novel “Bright Burning Stars,” which Smith adapts with grown-up panache, without undermining the genre’s girlie pleasures while upgrading them with a hearty dose of scorching twists and real mature sensuality rarely associated with YA.

The best non-documentary ballet film of all time is Robert Altman’s 2003 “The Company,” furthermore, which was co-written by the film’s star, Neve Campbell. Based on her experiences as a ballet dancer, it is an intimate, however, nuanced picture with vivid inner details. Accordingly, if you want to learn more about the movie, keep reading this blog till the finish.

Review Of Birds of Paradise

The story starts when working-class ballerina Kate (Booksmart’s Diana Silvers) wins a scholarship at a prominent and prestigious ballet academy in Paris, France. Moreover, she stands out like a sore thumb in her gym attire and Converse, and she almost immediately gets the ire of returning star Marine (Kristine Froseth). Marine has returned from the devastating death of her twin brother, and both she and Kate have their sights set on their school’s prize: a contract with the Opéra National de Paris. What began as an intense rivalry quickly transforms into something far more sinister as Marine and Kate get closer, especially after they resolve to earn the reward together.

Smith has created a fascinating environment for her two starring ladies by bringing the academy to life. The sensual fever dream that is Birds of Paradise. Accordingly, Smith places a special emphasis on the innate sexiness of dance, lending a hazy air to the proceedings. Nora Takacs Ekberg, however, the production designer, lends her a hand. The dance studio is purposefully cold, with its white walls and wide open space accentuating the severe beauty of ballet training, but Kate and Marine’s room is warmer, cosier, and the ideal setting for their friendship to flourish.

Kate’s journey is just as important to the plot, and Silvers, who has also been in Booksmart and Ma, is establishing herself as a rising star. Kate’s motivations are less ambiguous than Marine’s, but Silvers offers her protagonist enough complexities to keep viewers guessing about what will happen next. Therefore, Smith directs segments of Birds of Paradise in the style of a horror film, bringing out shades of grey in the girls’ quest for the prize. There’s suspense building up to the end as a winner is announced, but the film’s concluding moments don’t quite deliver the satisfaction one would expect.

Trailer of Birds of Paradise

The release date, timing, and other facts of Movie

  • Release Date (Streaming): September 24, 2021
  • Genres: Drama
  • Directed by: Sarah Adina Smith
  • Produced by: Dara Gordon, Trevor Adley, Jonako Donley
  • Written by: Sarah Adina Smith
  • Running Time: 113 minutes
  • Original Language: English
  • Streaming: Amazon Prime
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.0/10

The Main Cast

Furthermore, here is the rundown of the main cast in the Birds of Paradise movie.

  • Kristine Frøseth as Marine Elise Durand
  • Diana Silvers as Kate Sanders
  • Caroline Goodall as Celine Durand
  • Eva Lombay as Gia
  • Jacqueline Bisset as Madame Brunelle
  • Toby Huss as voice of Scott Sanders
  • Daniel Camargo as Felipe
  • Solomon Golding as Luc

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Conclusion

The Birds of Paradise has been on your mind all this time, and you’ve learned a lot. Birds of Paradise is a fun film to see because of Smith’s direction and the two star performances. Therefore, the brutal yet beautiful world of dance serves as a perfect backdrop for a nuanced relationship between two friends who frequently become rivals and probably more. Froseth and Silvers maintain both of their multifaceted characters and the tie that exists between them grounded, which blends well with Smith’s sensual tone. Those searching for a seductive, interesting drama may enjoy calling on Birds of Paradise for some late-night viewing.