Babylon (2022)

For those of you that read my review on La La Land, you know that Damien Chazelle’s work has been a huge influence on me, both creatively and personally. So it comes to no surprise that I explore other parts of his filmography, and here we are. This one was reviewed fairly mixed when it came out, people not quite agreeing on whether its a masterpiece or if it’s a dud. I’m happy to tell you, I fall into the camp of the former!

This film has only improved with age. Every year that passes, it somehow exceeds my expectations and I find new things to appreciate with the film. I’ve noticed that amongst the film fans and within those cultural circles, people are slowly coming around on this film and I couldn’t be happier about it!

Damien Chazelle manages to craft a film that is both a love letter to the golden era of Hollywood but also a scathing criticism of the business, not only at the time but the practices that have continued throughout the years.

Coming off the back of La La Land and First Man, the man had a blank slate to do whatever he wanted and he chose to make something that encapsulates his love for the artform of cinema. From the macro view with the industry workings and the importance of reputation to the micro details of camera operation, the early days of film sound, and the craft of silent films. The way he utilises the “movie within a movie” format is nothing short of fantastic! He brings out so much depth in his actors and almost always knows when to let the film speak for itself, showing tremendous restraint when he needs to and bombastic insanity when the film needs it.

Speaking of the cast, I may be in the minority but I firmly believe this to be Margot Robbie’s best performance. Playing Nellie is such a tall order, shes such a layered and troubled character, but Margot effortlessly embodies her entire being. Every movement, every action, every word, every beat, every glance, every single aspect of her performance feels so natural and yet at the same time, feels so meticulously planned. The way she glides across the scene in the party at the start, Margot just gets this character right to her very core, and she never shies away from showing her whole person. I cannot believe that she didn’t win awards for this film, I have not seen nor seen since an actor lose themselves in a role quite in the real way that Margot does.

Brad Pitt, on the other hand, whilst a good overall performance, feels dangerously close to his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It never quite goes beyond that characature and finds him stuck in this half comedy, half dramatic performance. The layers are all there, a man who is desperate to regain the limelight and takes his position at the top for granted, but the script never truly allows him to go above and beyond. The final scene with him in the hotel though, thats a masterclass of both subtlety and and depth. You can tell his moves and his motivations from a single hand gesture, and I applaud both Brad and the director for bringing that out. Furthermore, I do feel that whilst a lot of the film is devoted to Manny (Diego Calva), it never really gives us enough time to really connect with him. His story is an inspiring one, a self-made man from a Hispanic background making it to the top of the ranks in 1920s Hollywood. Ending in tragedy and heartbreak but also hope. The film often flutters in between Nellie and Jack (Brad Pitt) and Manny’s story tends to be closely linked with both of theirs (Nellie’s more so). Maybe it’s a subtle commentary on the treatment of ethnic minorities in the hollywood machine? Or maybe it’s just disadvantaged writing trying to juggle these stories and doing Manny a slightly disservice? Either way, the film still works amazingly and Diego gives a great performance, especially given his limited experience up until that point!

Now, I would be ashamed of myself if I didn’t bring your attention to the visuals of the film. Every single aspect of this film is done absolutely beautifully! The film is relentlessly gorgeous. Everything from the sets to the costumes to the cinematography, it all blends together to create a beautiful and realistic depiction of the temptation of Hollywood. Linus Sandgren utilises natural lighting and location shooting to give the film a feeling of realness and authenticity, he brings the 1920s to life with such vibrance and spectacle, you can’t help but be enamored by it all. The layers in which he attacks this film is immense, with Nellie’s shots relying more on close ups and MCUs to represent her trapped and tormented nature whilst Manny is often in wides and panning shots to showcase his open trajectory as he ascends through the industry. The final shot of Nellie, dancing into the night, is honestly one of the most awe-inspiring but absolutely harrowing shots in cinema. Just watching her go to her inevitable demise but doing so with a jump in her step? Genius. On top of that, you have Florencia Martin creating absolutely stunning sets, I am constantly in awe of the mansion party at the start because I have never seen a more gorgeously detailed set in my life! The lining of gold running through the walls and the ceiling, showing the needless spending and greedy nature of these hollywood elites, the fancy 1920s vehicles and the dark and gruesome underbelly of the drug world, its almost overwhelming! Mary Sophres as well, the costumes designer with an incredible eye for period accurate looks whilst also experimenting to make people stand out. The dress that Nellie wears to the party is unlike anything you’d ever see in that period but the simplistic nature of it and the bold colour of it really makes it feel like it not only belongs, but it dominates the scene. Everyone is so eloquently dressed but in a way that best reflects their state in the story. Nellie’s dress being too tight in the upper class dinner party scene, Jack wearing loose suits and Manny transitioning from scruffy overalls to expensive suits as he ascends. I could gush about the look at this film for ages but I want to keep on track!

I will say, for as much as I praise and will defend this film to the end of my days, it isn’t perfect. My main issue with the film is the pacing. For the first two hours or so, I’m fully engaged. I’m following the story, I’m interested to see where it goes but then once you get past the dinner scene where Nellie has to pretend to be upper class, the film just feels like a bit of a drag. It doesn’t let up until Manny and Nellie decide to leave for Mexico, and then it becomes the most heartfelt and perfectly paced movie. In between those scenes, I felt like some things could have been cut or changed. I didn’t really need the scenes of Manny and the drug cartel, I would have thought it was much more effective if we only see the consequences of that meeting, not the meeting itself. Aside from that, maybe a few poorly timed jokes or some unnessacery runtime padding, the film just works on every level for me.

This film is not only a loveletter for Hollywood, its a loveletter to film as an artform itself. It focuses on a lot of the negative things in this business, the drugs, the expectations, the pressures, the relationships, but it also makes a point to highlight just how much of an absolute joy it is to work on and experience that artform. The final scene of the film, the camera slowly panning through the cinema, showing all sorts of different people. Some kissing, some absolute focused, all different people, all brought together in this communal experience. Everything outside doesn’t matter, but in here, we’re all together, experiencing something together. That, to me, is the greatest gift this film gives you. It reminds you that all your differences, all your problems, can be left at the door because this is the time to be together. Films are made to bring us together and I feel that this film is now more relevant than ever, some people in this world could learn a lot about themselves and the state of the world, if they’d just open themselves up to these shared experiences.

9/10