Movie Review: Babylon

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A real sense of passion and love for the movies, overcomes some major story flaws. 

Those familiar with Damien Chazelle's films or have heard him discuss movies, know that his passion for movies is complete real and genuine. It is this passion that drives Babylon and gives the film its best moments. In fact the ending scene here is an incredibly beautiful tribute to the movies that will even delight those who didn't like the rest of the movie. The story takes place in Hollywood during the end of the silent era and the beginning of the talkie era. As such there are many allusions to real movie history for people who are familiar with films this era to appreciate. Some of these are obvious. For instance Brad Pitt essentially plays John Gilbert, Li Jun Li essentially plays Anna May Wong and the Singin' In the Rain musical number being filmed is from The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929). Yet there are also more subtle allusions that will probably require multiple rewatches to get. While these parts of the film may not appeal to those who are not film buffs, they will certainly delight movie geeks. Frankly I found it a lot of fun figuring out what movie personalities these various characters were supposed to be. Yet there is more to recommend this film than just little nods for movie geeks to geek out about. This film has a wonderful cast and every member of this cast (from those who play main characters to those who play smaller roles) are perfect for their roles and shine very brightly. Yet Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt steal the show. This might be the finest performance of Margot Robbie's career and she can be delightfully over the top and funny, while also being excellent in the more serious scenes. Brad Pitt has the job of being the emotional center of the film and he succussed wonderfully at this. This movie also benefits from a really good sense of humor. There are some really good comedic set pieces here and many of them are quite funny. I especially loved the scene with the characters first shooting a scene with sound. Also helping matters is that this is a pure visual treat. While the film may be a bit excessive at times, it is always simply a joy to look at.  

The (jazz) music here is very catchy and a lot of fun, but it can also feel too modern for a movie that takes place in the 1920's and 30's. 

This movie does have some major flaws though. One of them is that the film often falls victim to its own excess. This is especially true of the wild party scenes, which often go overboard with the crazy orgies and bizarre sexual fetishes. It doesn't take long for us to get the point that these scenes are making, and they can become tiresome and unpleasant after a while. Also, towards the last act the film gets too melodramatic, and this often doesn't work and can take you out of the story. There is also too many stories going on here and some don't get the time or development that others do. These are major faults and I can understand why some may not like this film, but for me the things that worked here overcame these faults. 

This may be a very flawed movie, but there is also still a lot to like (or even love) here.