Decadence, depravity, and outrageous excess lead to the rise and fall of several ambitious dreamers in 1920s Hollywood.
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Tobey Maguire
Release Date: December 23, 2022
Genre: Comedy, Drama, History
Rated R for strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity, bloody violence, drug use, and pervasive language.
Runtime: 3h 9m
Damien Chazelle's Babylon is a frenetic, overstuffed film that's engaging but terribly unfocused. Chazelle opening sequence plays like Eyes Wide Shut through Baz Luhrmann's lens but with a lot more bodily fluids. It’s a kinetic introduction to primary characters and setting overall. The excess on display is indulgently, outrageous on multiple levels but there's a tangible sense of energy and melancholy pulsating through the screen. The impressive thing is that Chazelle keep that energy going for the better part of the film even though you get the sense that it would have benefited from some selective editing. A tighter film would have focused its characters, themes and story particularly in its uneven and off kilter final act. Even though the film loses itself on multiple occasions the cast makes it an easier pill to swallow by delivering impressive turns across the board. Brad Pitt is excellent as the fading silent film star who used to be the biggest name in Hollywood. Pitt easily carries the earlier portion of the film with his charisma which works perfectly for his character however his more nuanced and subtle work in the back half of the film is much more impressive. Margot Robbie is equally impressive as the overnight starlet who’s destined to flame out in short order. Robbie's manic energy is perfectly suited for her character who can best be described as a squirrel on cocaine. It’s hard to take your eyes off her when she's onscreen but we never get under her skin as she remains an enigma who's just out of reach. Diego Calva's wide-eyed Manny exemplifies that as he serves as the film's beating heart. Calva has a likable onscreen presence that plays well even when he's onscreen with his bigger name stars. Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li both deliver fascinating supporting turns, but their characters are underserved to the detriment of the overall film. It’s a glaring misfire since the film has more than enough time to focus on their characters than it ultimately does even though their story threads are just as important as the others. Ultimately, Babylon the kind of film that's trying to say too many things at once. There are a few moments in its final act where the characters vocalize the themes Chazelle is trying to address but his lack of focus keeps them from landing the way they should.
B+
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