Babylon

Babylon

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters in an era of unbridled decadence and depravity during Hollywood's transition from silent films and to sound films in the late 1920s.

  • Released: 2022-12-23
  • Runtime: 188 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • Stars: Diego Calva, Cici Lau, James Wellington, Trisha Simmons, Armando Cosio, Taylor Nichols, Todd Giebenhain, Bregje Heinen, Li Jun Li, Kaia Gerber, Frederick Koehler, Vanessa Bednar, Douglas Fruchey, Aurielle Simmons, Margot Robbie, Jimmy Ortega, Circus-Szalewski, Samara Weaving, Katia Gomez, Hayley Huntley
  • Director: Damien Chazelle
 Comments
  • ryanpersaud-59415 - 17 June 2024
    A Film to Admire, But Less to Enjoy.
    Nursing a sprained ankle, I finally sat down and watched Damien Chazelle's floptastic masterpiece, Babylon. Set in the 1920s to mid 1930s, Babylon charts the story of Hollywood's transition from the silent to sound era, but also indulges in the excess: the drinking, the debauchery, the kinks, and the general bad behaviour associated with Hollywood at the time (and let's be honest, even today) and its impact on the screen.

    There is a really interesting and fun movie in here, especially for those who love the movies and are fascinated by the history of Hollywood. I think Babylon tackles a lot of interesting ideas, both from a plot standpoint (the impact on technology on film making and its players) and thematically (the feeling of behind left behind).

    I also think, despite the film's completely unnecessarily long run time, it's never boring. From the moment it begins with a "avalanche" of sorts to its truly out there final scene, which almost feels an extended solo that just keeps going on and on, the movie kept my attention entirely. I did, however, feel it took about an hour and twenty odd minutes to really get going, plot wise and I can't say that's a good thing.

    The problem is, I don't think any sane person could tell you Babylon is a tightly constructed, well told story. It meanders and goes off in so many different directions, but unlike Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is beautiful to look at and envelopes you in a world and time that you'd kind of want to stay in, Babylon is seedy, gross, and unhinged.

    That's obviously intentional, but that along with the zippy editing (especially in the first half) makes this a truly EXHAUSTING watch. I often felt the movie was trying too hard to be shocking at times. There's one scene in particular involving Margot Robbie at a party that just felt excessive to the point of an eye-roll.

    The film also doesn't quite feel like we're witnessing events in the early 20th century; there's something about the way people talk, the way they act, and the slang they use that felt distractingly modern. I didn't find the costumes or set design particularly good either and this is one of those movies where you really need that.

    I haven't mentioned the performances because frankly, no one really stood out to me. Margot Robbie is kind of doing her "New Jersey accent" thing, Brad Pitt is pretty solid as always, and everyone else is fine, but nothing noteworthy. To be honest, a bit more restraint from a lot of these people would've been better.

    Overall, I liked Babylon enough, but I'm never going to watch it again. I don't think it's a surprise this movie was a gigantic flop. It shows a lot and touches upon interesting ideas, but is almost too obsessed with spectacle to really delve into the emotional aspects of what's going on. I can admire what Chazelle's doing, but this one desperately needed some editing and script revisions. (Although, characteristic for him, the film's jazzy score is excellent)
  • tknmzombie - 5 May 2024
    Meh
    I can't believe I overlooked this one when it was released. A lot of people are raving about it now, describing Margot Robbie's character as a combination of Barbie and Harley Quinn. Personally, I really enjoyed her character throughout the movie. However, my issue lies with the film itself. It starts off strong, but unfortunately, it goes downhill from there and ends up taking over 3 hours of my time that I can never get back. All of this just to deliver a "moral of the story" that has always associated with the dream of being involved in Hollywood and making movies because of the magic it holds. Well, part of that magic is the editing process, and it seems like a lot of scenes in this film should have been left on the cutting room floor.

    Warning to viewers: includes more than violence and sexual situations. It goes beyond that. R Kelly beyond.
  • catalinapoliczer - 25 February 2024
    Film for film lovers
    I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. I was expecting it to be too much and over the top chaos, based on the reviews, but I found it beautiful to watch, with captivating performances, particularly by Robbie.

    For lovers of Singing in the Rain, this film will hit a home, it's like a modern day retelling of that story, with far more depth,truth, grit, and ugly details.

    Though it does become a bit chaotic at times, I found myself captivated and engaged each of the individual stories, and moved at their respective outcomes.

    Moreover the music is fantastic!! It's definitely a film you want to fully experience.

    Not as good as Whiplash or LaLaLand, but still worth the time..
  • prberg2 - 12 January 2023
    An Epic ride that will engage you one way or another
    Wow.. what a film. So much energy and it just moved! Really great use of editing, music and quick pacing. Sometimes I was a little lost, but still enjoyed the ride. It was a really interesting look back at the early days of Hollywood. What it might have been like.. and how things shifted in a big way due to sound being introduced into movies and other changes happening to the culture at the time.

    Most everything in the movie was top notch. Things were really done well. The story might be a little over the top in some places.. but I think that was the story it was trying to tell. I appreciate what they were doing and the big swing they were taking with the film. It was long.. but didn't feel like it. Moved fast and kept me interested and engaged. Really glad I got to see it in the theater.. where I think it likely is it's most powerful. Really interesting and great film at the end of the day.
  • golem-sense - 9 January 2023
    paradoxically, even if is full of action I had my naps
    Even I have no idea how to start... ok, the director, imagine a guy that loves from the bottom of his hearth everything about Hollywood yet he has to write a script which happens that it has to hate Hollywood. Maybe he said NO yet the production promised him best trending actors, funds and so on. Now this guy what he had to do, to refuse such opportunity? One more thing, he has no idea about the 1920's times, particularly about LA, Hollywood. He needs something shocking, stunning, amazing yet decadent most important, scabby, disgusting, horrific. Ah, and very important, politically correct... ha ha ha, 1920's politically correct :) - bitter smile. He used raw stuff like people engulfed in feces, golden showers, nudity and explicit sexual scenes, killed/dead people everywhere, some WW kisses... like a receipt. Ah, and chaos which due to his low IQ he mistook chaos for incoherence... lame. Even if I'd like to give spoilers I couldn't mostly because I don't remember a thing of what happened on the screen three unbelievably long long hours - so please don't do the effort to go to a cinema, to spend the ticket money and most important to waste your precious time, this movie is a 100% click bait, yet if you are so stubborn please don't invite your partner, you'd feel like going to a restaurant and having the surprise to have as luxuriant meal awfully rotten food.

    Now about actors, yes, Margot Robbie, simply she was forced to play like a piece of wood, stall and stupid - most probably this is going to be an ugly stamp, impossible to erase on her career. Brad Pitt you ask? He wasn't there, it is clear he didn't want to be part of this movie, yet he didn't care, he's not anymore craving about big roles.

    As a conclusion, a message for Damien Chazelle - my friend, there is already a TARANTINO and surprising for you, I know, he did already - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - you didn't know that, I'm 100% sure, yes, it is a great movie, an actual movie, you have to watch it as soon s possible, it is an amazing one!
  • elicopperman - 5 January 2023
    A Fascinatingly Obscene Callback to 1920s Hollywood
    Just in time for the 2022 holiday season, Whiplash and La La Land director Damien Chazelle has unleashed his latest mammoth of a film, Babylon. Intended as an epic period flick chronicling the rise and fall of multiple Hollywood people during the transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s, the film has so far proven to be a poor performer in the box office. On top of that, it has garnered a fairly polarizing reception due to a mix of gorgeous filmmaking techniques and oddly structured creative decisions. Upon first glance, it appears that this love letter to cinema might've eaten its cake while having it.

    The film tackles numerous storylines of different people entering the old Hollywood business in differing ways, detailing a lot of outsized ambition and moral corruption in the film business. One of those characters is popular silent film star Jack Conrad, played by Brad Pitt with a sardonic look on the big picture business on account of his alcoholism and failing relationships. Arguably, Conrad's story feels the most concise in this feature, as it details a crippling humane side to his once delusions of grandeur are impacted by the downfall of his career and even life. In comparison, the story of Manuel "Manny" Torres (Diego Calva) going from film assistant to full blown executive goes into genuine themes of identity erasure, showing how Manny entering the Hollywood studio system causes him to lose his own moral values just for the sake of being one of the big boys. With the addition of falling for aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) symbolizing the escapist, picturesque happiness Manny yearns for, the themes and analysis of Babylon are at their strongest through these upward debacles.

    However, while the film is admittedly a bit exaggerated in exploring its rise and fall narrative, it does so in a way that impacts it for the worst. By celebrating the prominent sexual activity and drug frenzied violence common back then, Babylon ends up exploiting a bit too much of the excessive elements in favor of a coherent narrative. It's really hard to determine if this is the result of too much creative control on Chazelle's part or muddled studio indulgence, but as the film goes on, we are led with an unnecessarily obscene depiction of LA's behind-the-scenes decadence. It's bad enough that Nellie LaRoy goes from beloved starlet to coked out hazbin. There doesn't need to be anymore downward spirals in the film's horrendous depiction of human debasement. On top of that, while certain characters like trumpet player Sidney Palmer and sensational journalist Elinor St. John are provided more humane looks into overlooked film business archetypes, they're never given just enough screen time to make much of an impact, much like general substance to begin with.

    If we are going to acknowledge anything else worth praising, at least the glamour of the film speaks for itself on numerous levels. The cinematography by Linus Sandgren lends itself to a lot of incredible splendor and authentic production design that successfully recreates the look of retro Hollywood itself. While the editing can sometimes be a bit too sporadic for its own good, a lot of long shots and floating zoom-ins are there to intentionally show how busy the film industry was back in the day to crank as many films out as possible. These sporadic moments are often reserved for production nightmares like the absence of cameras during epic film shoots and the ever growing madness from the studios having to transition into sound filmmaking. In keeping in tune with the wild tone of the film, composer Justin Hurwitz keeps his score fresh and intense, incorporating unique touches to the 1920s jazz flavor while also allowing for quieter romantic melodies to play out in harmony. If the film bites off more than it can chew in its commentary, at least the presentation mixes well in the execution.

    While it can be understood why not everyone is currently interested enough to check out Babylon on its own merits, there is some value to its unapologetic chaos. For all of its pretentious ambitions and overindulgence in its apparent passion, the performances, filmmaking techniques, and soundtrack might at least warrant some investment out of morbid curiosity. Based on its poor performance, it'll only be a matter of time until we see how it impacts both Damien Chazelle and Paramount, although it definitely won't go unnoticed during the award season. Let it sit and marinate on its own terms.
  • dream-weaver777 - 3 January 2023
    What a waste of money and talent
    It's a mess. Structurally, pacing, and story-wise. The first 30 mins pre opening title should have been cut into 5 mins. The elephant scene just cheapens the whole thing. What does it add? It's not funny. The end montage doesn't work. I didn't care for any of the characters. A few random scenes didn't make sense to include. The scene with Margot's character's mum for example. Also why did the gunman let a Diego escape when he shot the other 2? Would have been nice to see some kind of motivation. Margot just kind of disappeared. Chazelle just seemed out to shock audiences in anyway possible. Huge case of style over content..and the style was pretty awful!
  • icminindy - 2 January 2023
    Another Hot Mess of Missed Opportunities
    I think anyone who can sit though this hot mess can agree on the following: 1. Margot Robbie gives an amazing performance but its blown into a million pieces over the three hours.

    2. Jean Smart has amazing scenes and her performance is superb.

    3. Set design and cinematography are very well done and deserve acclaim.

    Unfortunately, a very good story is lost due to bloated screenplay. Brad Pitts role could have been so much more. Perhaps it was the script, perhaps his acting, perhaps both. The cardboard performance left me unmoved about his character's fate. A lost opportunity in this story.

    My suggestion; wait till you can watch this for free at home with plenty of breaks so this disjointed film doesn't feel so ... ...disjointed.
  • runescapeplayergod - 1 January 2023
    paid by brokerages to help short movie theaters
    Obviously just my conspiracy theory, but it seems very probable this movie was filled with as many big names as possible and purposefully made to be terrible and three hours long so that the movie would flop and amc stock can continue to be shorted to cover synthetic share losses from short squeeze

    or this movie was just an attempt to be some mash up of great gatsby and hangover and they had no idea how bad it would be

    this movie makes no sense at any point ive never been so bored in my life

    watched it on new years eve and it ruined our holiday completely i sadly will never forget this horrible day.
  • leeisnotmyname - 31 December 2022
    Almost-great film, but too long and too bizarre
    There's a lot to love about a movie that oozes this much unfettered passion about movie-making. Tremendous performances by the actors, beautiful sets and cinematography, and I loved all the references to "Singin' in the Rain", but the film was a great deal too long and too bizarre. It seemed like the director just wanted to see how many weird things he could get away with. I'm surprised it wasn't rated NC-17 for the explicit sexual content, which was mostly just uncomfortable and unnecessary. The whole movie was very hit-or-miss but to its credit it always goes ALL OUT, so when it hits it's amazing, but the misses were awful. I loved the energy of the storytelling and there were a lot of interesting characters, but too many subplots made the story feel uneven, like it was all over the place. And what was that ending montage? So random. Overall this film was okay, but I can really only recommend it to hardcore movie buffs.