Babylon

2.5 out of 5 stars

Damien Chazelle has risen to prominence in Hollywood so rapidly that most audiences may not recognise the Academy Award winner when hearing his name. Yet, Whiplash and La La Land set the young director on the same stage as most of those who have been in the industry for decades. His latest project is getting the same award buzz. Still, Babylon may be the least accessible film for mainstream audiences of his career.

Where La La Land provided a behind-the-scenes look at modern filmmaking, his newest storyline takes us back to the transition from silent films to talkies in the late 1920’s. Set in the beautifully, sunbaked climate of Southern California, Manuel "Manny" Torres (Diego Calva) is doing all he can to make his way onto the sets of the latest film productions. At one of the infamous, superfluous industry parties in the Hollywood hills, he meets upcoming actress Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) and legendary film icon Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt). In the days to follow, he comes to the realisation that for the magic to get to the big screen, chaos has to be overcome by all who work on the set.

As the three rise through their different fields within the industry, they continually cross paths with one another’s lives. Manny discovers he has a knack for the production side. At the same time, Nellie makes a splash as the latest starlet on the silver screen. Except her propensity towards the actor’s lifestyle of gambling, drugs, and alcohol causes her more grief than she can handle. As these young wannabes make their way with varied degrees of success, Jack Conrad must determine how he will manage the changes occurring with the introduction of sound in cinemas. Through each decade, this trio works to connect with one another and the business and their stars lead to combustible moments that may impact their lives and the industry simultaneously.

Through this homage to the inspirations behind industry tales like Singing in the Rain, Chazelle leads to an immersive and extravagant affair. One that is fascinating, at times brilliant, while mainly uncomfortable as it exposes the immoral and dark underbelly of the filmmaking process. Even though audiences have forked over their money for decades to escape into the imagined worlds of these creatives, most may not want to know the anarchic and flexible morality of the process. This writer/director shows his talented eye for developing these worlds. Ones that skirt close to the realities of life while embracing the fictional characters that make us believe this is actual history. All are complemented by a beautiful score that catapults us back to the era of jazz and big bands. Yet, despite his amazing cinematic skills, he manages to lose his magic touch when he is allowed so much license to tell a story of this grand scale.

The excesses of this film are meant to show the ridiculous side of this business. Still, in the harsh reality shown through his commentary, Chazelle delivers an uncomfortable and utterly confusing journey through this transitory time in history. Pitt, Robbie, and Calva commit to their roles without hesitation, but they suffer at the hands of a bewildering screenplay that would have benefited from significant edits. One example of the excesses comes in the extended scene with Tobey Maguire (Spider-man) which was compelling, but in the end it became completely unnecessary for the sake of the story. At 189 minutes, Babylon could have been cut down significantly and still delivered the same message. Then to add the graphic nudity, substance abuse, and language may be an honest reflection of the world of filmmaking. Yet, it does become less than entertaining as the minutes grind on. As a lesson in cherishing something beloved by millions worldwide by showing how utterly depraved things are in the background, Chazelle buries all who come along under the weight of the real world. He has lost his way amongst all the artistic and sentimental aspects he hopes to emulate.

Babylon would have been better if this celebrated artist had less budget and tighter expectations of the overall production. Here is hoping that he gets back to his independent film roots and rediscovers the style that made him into what we have come to appreciate about his talent.

REEL DIALOGUE: When you have everything this life offers, where do you go for satisfaction?

Babylon portrays a group of people and an industry with all that the world has to offer: Money, fame, relationships, and jobs that others envy. Yet, in this world of plenty, they seem dissatisfied with what they have been given and look for satisfaction elsewhere. It all seems to be chasing after the wind...

Times have remained the same since the golden era of the 1920s or even thousands of years before Solomon spoke of this very thing in Ecclesiastes. This book of wisdom addresses this existential angst we all experience. Also, it gives a surprising answer that is worth considering.

Passages on dissatisfaction: The Book of Ecclesiastes, John 4, Hebrews 13:4