Movie Breakdown: Babylon
Pre-Screening Stance:
Considering that he already has an excellent trio of films – Whiplash, La La Land, and First Man – on his resume, it’s real easy to be excited for something new from writer/director Damien Chazelle. Let’s go.
Post-Screening Ramble:
I had a great time with Babylon, but I can’t say it’s for everyone. This is a long film (the runtime is just over three hours) with a hefty amount of storylines that combine to form a frenetic love/hate letter to Hollywood, and I can only imagine how many people will simply find the whole thing pretentious. If you’re willing to buy-in to what Damien Chazelle is selling though, which is the weighing of living forever on the screen vs what it might cost you to achieve it, then I think you’ll find a rewarding experience.
The film begins with introductions to its three main characters. There’s a silent film superstar by the name of Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), the wannabe starlet Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), and Manny Torres (Diego Calva), a Mexican immigrant eager to work in the film industry. Or, if you prefer, you get introduced to an aging actor struggling to adapt in an ever-changing industry, a young woman eager to burn too bright, and a passionate but naive pawn. There’s also a whole smattering of supporting characters regularly around as well, with the most compelling one being Sidney Palmer (Jovan Adepo), a black musician navigating the waters of 1930s Hollywood. Again, this is a film about how terrible and wonderful the movie-making biz is, so each character represents a part of that, which means the through line for Babylon isn’t so much Pitt’s Conrad or Robbie’s LaRoy, it’s the overall look at the industry. If that sounds of interest to you, then you should absolutely see the film. If you’re thinking “who cares?” then I might advise that you don’t bother because even though Damien Chazelle directs the hell out of it and the performances are great, its cocaine-fueled (and subsequently, disjointed and loud) approach is only going to get you so far.
Babylon is a lot, but it’s well worth your time if you’ve got the attention span for it. The film opens in theaters this Friday, December 23.
One Last Thought:
I wasn’t aware that Samara Weaving had a part in this film, so I was really thrown for a moment when she popped up in a scene with Margot Robbie. They just look so alike that my brain sort of melted as I was trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Definitely a real “Spider-Man pointing” meme moment for me.
