What does an elephant, cocaine, trumpet players, tits, and Margot Robbie in a scrumptious red dress all have in common? They’re present at the wildest party you’ve probably ever seen on screen. Unbeknownst to some characters, there are six rising talents crossing paths this evening, amongst the joys provided by the silent film era, and right before cinema’s transition to the talkies. Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) is the most established name at the party, and everybody gravitates towards him. Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) is a star yet to be discovered, and when given a shot on set the next day, the industry finds a natural, an overnight sensation. Manny Torres (Diego Calva) begins as a general fixer, but flits around the business until his ingenuity and ideas are recognised, turning him into a very important person. There’s also bandleader and trumpeter Sidney Palmer (Jovan Adepo), burlesque personality Lady Fay Zhu (Li Jun Li), and the older gossip journalist Elinor St. John (Jean Smart), on the edges. The introduction of sound to the moviemaking process comes with its own problems, and Babylon is determined to show us an adrenalin-fueled depiction of the time period, in what can be described as a very hard, hard, HARD, companion to Singin’ in the Rain.
The movie is 3 hours long. I would say to have your snacks ready, but you may be put off eating them between the shitting, pissing, spewing, lewd sex, blackface, and overdosing that spring up through this movie. Director Damien Chazelle must’ve had a checklist of the screen’s biggest faux pas, and worked to include them all 🤣 I’d heard this movie was polarizing, but nothing could compare me for this. I actually hated the first hour – it’s so extra that it goes beyond looking like any real fun. On top of the party, the silent-era depiction boasts sets that are extremely chaotic, with extras getting criminally mistreated, and five or so movies filming next to each other, often getting in each other’s way. I really had to think about why the content of the first hour seemed so off-putting to me, as the movie seemed to be exercising a garish fast-pace well on purpose, and it think it’s got to do with how it betrays our most common squeaky-clean golden-age descriptions of our great grandparent’s era, really putting the pedal to the metal on the ‘roaring’ part of the roaring twenties. I’ve never really thought about it, but this is probably most accurate. It’s only when sound comes into the movies does Babylon make the most of the transition, showing how what may seem routine now, would’ve taken a steep learning curve. I appreciate Babylon for showing me how actors like LaRoy would’ve had to learn lines for the first time and hit their marks to cater for a temperamental sound department – in what is probably my favourite scene of the movie. I’ve also never needed to know the name of ‘Wolf of Wallstreet actor P.J. Byrne before now, but he may receive the scene of his lifetime here, going completely bananas trying to maintain order on a movie set where before chaos was accepted. From this and beyond, you get the beginning of acting becoming an all-encompassing craft, and the sunrise to sunset of a performer’s time in the spotlight – gossip columnist Jean Smart really hadn’t done much until she gets to sum up the business to Jack, flailing to hold on to his failing career, in what is probably my second favourite scene of the movie. When the movie is quiet, Babylon really accomplishes a lot, and there’s definitely an interesting story in here that gets lost amongst the crazy hijinks at times. It’s also important to note that, although Babylon has been marketed as a Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt picture, it’s really an ensemble piece, with the six characters getting to put their own stamp on the movie with exciting throughlines. But, similarly to Margot Robbie’s other adventure of 2022, Amsterdam, if only the movie hadn’t swayed too wildly away from the heart of the story, then this could’ve been something special.
Why doesn’t this movie end when Brad Pitt blows his brains out? What comes afterwards is a complete nosedive. I felt the director had said what he needed to say – I assumed Sidney had gone back to his crowd, and I would’ve enjoyed the mystery of what became of Nellie and Manny after Manny’s trip to the underground of L.A., knowing they would probably have to flee for their lives. And having Nellie accept that her career is over only mimics Jack’s progression, where there’s tragedy in her still believing she could be a star again, making for a much stronger ending. (I also wouldn’t have had Jack kill himself, but that’s a dealer’s choice). I, for one, was really proud that I knew the story of Singin’ in the Rain and was able to attain the references and similar plot beats in Babylon along the way, but to have the movie spoon feed us at the end, with an older Manny attending a screening later in life, was disappointing – people who aren’t familiar with Singin’ in the Rain are still going to have look into it further if they want to gain a full context for the movie, and how it relates to Babylon, so why be so explanatory? Okay, if the movie wanted to make a point of how audiences sit in theatres and find glossy entertainment in the trials, tribulations, and hard work of those who have come before, then I would suggest having Manny just walk pass the cinema, and have the camera track inside for those audience shots. But to see Manny figure out that his life has made it to the big screen… it was already implied.
Although most of the movies I’ve seen this year have been better, I’ve been most excited to express myself on Babylon. I’m flabbergasted by the whole thing – partly intentionally, at the hands of the movie’s devilish content, but unfortunately due to some of the choices the movie makes also. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie give their all, but they never hold spotlight long enough, among the bombastic display everywhere else. And unlike the beautiful rhythm of something like The Banshees of Inisherin, I feel you can see the mechanics at play, like the stitching is on the outside. I can certainly understand why some people are loving this movie, which includes brilliant individual moments, and highlights our past with grimy enthusiasm, where quite often, the chaotic nature of Babylon is the point. But I think for a director like Chazelle, who’s work to this point has been excellently tight, he humbly faulters with an intentionality so big to chew. Babylon is an unforgettable shot at glory, with glaring problems reflective of its characters.
3.0
P.S. It’s so funny because I was thinking during this movie how I’d love a movie to make a point of casting all the many Aussie women excelling in Hollywood right now. And then Samara Weaving pops up to stagger at Nellie’s rising success – it was like a mini meta-feud between former Neighbours star and Home & Away talent, that partially satisfied my cravings instantly 😁
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