In the early days of Hollywood chaos ensued. From unbridled parties, excessive drug use, and inexplicable characters–it was truly insane. Babylon follows Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), Manny Torres (Diego Calva), and more wild individuals as they navigate the untapped potential of this blossoming industry. They will find sex, drugs, death, and worse as their dreams remain hanging in the balance. They aren’t afraid to face reality, but things are far more daunting than they could have imagined.
I think it’s fair to say that Babylon can be summarized in one word: CHAOTIC. Not a moment passes when it doesn’t feel like all Hell is breaking loose, and that chaos remains prominent through to the very end of the film. The story takes some time to develop–not really, but in the sense that viewers aren’t entirely sure of the point until maybe an hour into the production. The reality is that viewers are thrown right into the chaos, forced to take part in the insanity that was early Hollywood–and while that chaos ensues, it’s sometimes dizzying, throwing viewers off balance and making it difficult to understand the purpose. At around the hour mark (while chaos is still very much part of the story), things shift. The tone, the characters, and everything in between makes itself more available to viewers–and it’s at this point that Babylon’s full potential is realized.
Babylon has gained some traction and some notoriety at this year’s Academy Awards, being recognized for things such as Costume Design, Music (Original Score), and Production Design. I’m not sure that there is a film from 2022 that deserves these nominations more than Babylon. These aspects of the film are perfect.
What may just be one of the best original scores of all time, Justin Hurwitz’s masterpiece is simply impeccable. Most of you know by now that my music knowledge is limited–but I know what I like (and I tend to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what is and isn’t good). What Hurwitz creates, and the way in which it’s paired with all that transpires on screen is nothing short of perfect. It’s fun when it needs to be, and then in an instant, it’s harrowing. Babylon relies heavily on the score to find success–and every second of what Hurwitz creates is effective beyond anything that I’ve seen or heard before.
Costume design and production design play such a pivotal role in Babylon, quickly transporting viewers to the 1920’s, before we are actually told that’s where we’re headed. The fact that these aspects of the film are so capable of creating such a realistic and accessible representation of 1920’s Hollywood is wildly impressive. Not a second of either of these aspects of the film fail to live up to the hype or expectations. Babylon is visually appealing as a result of these aspects of the film, and they drive the film even closer to perfection.
If you don’t absolutely love film, if you don’t adore the process or understand the intricacies of filmmaking, it can be hard to understand what it means to those of us that do. For people like me, film is everything. It’s an escape from a sometimes shitty reality, it’s a window into a better life, an escape into my wildest dreams. It can change my mood with ease. It can take me from my lowest and give me hope, or it can take me at my best and break me down to nothingness. Never before has a film been able to capture this reality like Babylon. In the closing moments of the film, as Manny sits and watches a movie among a series of strangers, I felt like I was transported to a dream world–one where I was prepared to cry both tears of joy and distress. If you love film, Babylon is the film for you. It captures the realities of Hollywood in a way that I believe stars will be able to appreciate, but it expresses the importance of cinema to those of us that are simply in love with it.
Seeing the transition from silent films to talkies is one that is rarely depicted this clearly on screen. What Babylon does for this bit of the history of cinema feels insanely accurate, and this depiction of the struggles of this transition for movie stars of the time really puts it in perspective for those of us that are unfamiliar with it. Babylon excels in a number of ways, starting with the score and including things like the acting (honestly, how could the acting not be spectacular with Pitt and Robbie as some of the main characters), costume design, and production design. Sure, this film takes just a bit of time to develop in a way that viewers are able to understand, but when all is said and done, everything makes sense. The reality is that everything that Babylon is nominated for is warranted–but a nomination for Best Picture should have been in the cards for the film as well.
Written & Directed by Damien Chazelle.
Starring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Max Minghella, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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