Babylon is a truly bizarre film that won’t be for everyone, but it will certainly leave a lasting impression on its viewers.
Margot Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy and Diego Calva plays Manny Torres in Babylon from Paramount Pictures.
Babylon is one of those movies that is very clearly going to divide its audiences. Some will love it, some will hate it, and very few will sit in the middle thinking it is just an okay movie. With an incredible ensemble cast, truly insane plot points, stunning visuals, and a whole lot of heart, we fall on the love it side of things. Margot Robbie once again proves what a phenomenal actress she is while Diego Calva delivers a ton of heart.
A Love Letter to 1920s Hollywood
This movie is a bit of a love letter to 1920s Hollywood as it follows the evolution of the film industry. Brad Pitt plays Jack Conrad, a famous actor who is sought after for nearly every role. Margot Robbie is Nellie LaRoy, a women with extreme confidence that knows she was born to be a star. And Diego Calva portrays Manny Torres, the lovable and humble man who starts off as an elephant wrangler, but becomes so much more — for better or worse.
Damien Chazelle writes and directs this intriguing, dazzling, captivating film that at the very least will leave people talking.
The Fabelmans is another film this year that was a love letter to cinema. That one is much more “normal” and straightforward. It showcases the impact that movies have on its viewers while Babylon just goes balls to the wall crazy in portraying the other side of things — the actors. It is hilarious, quirky, and straight up insane at times, making it a film that will not be for everyone.
Definitely Not For Everyone
Babylon’s first twenty minutes or so take place at a wild Hollywood party, which is where we first meet the majority of the movie’s main characters. If you thought The Boys’ Herogasm episode was racy, you have seen nothing yet. There is nudity, fetishes, drugs (so many drugs), death, and acts that will have many of even the most liberal viewers clutching their pearls. Talk about finding a way to let the audience know that this is not going to be a mild movie, while also hooking us with an intriguing and compelling story.
This movie pushes the envelope well past where we thought the stopping point would be. In between these crazy parties is an interesting story that follows the actors and producers as they must navigate through the evolution of the film industry. The world is changing and that is where things start to become devastating for some. They must learn to change and if they don’t, there is a good chance their career will be over.
For a lot of people the details that they go into, and the things that are actually shown on screen will be too much. However, if you can accept it and really allow yourself to relate to the story, we promise, there is a payoff. The best way to describe this film is absolutely bonkers, but also utterly devastating. It won’t be for everyone, but it will certainly leave a lasting impression.
An Incredible Ensemble Cast
Margot Robbie gives a powerhouse performance that you won’t soon forget in Babylon. Nellie might be a wild child, but it is easy to fall in love with her and become completely wrapped up in her story. By the end of the film you will want nothing more than to give her a big hug and let her know how incredible she is, even if others look past her charm.
As for Diego Calva, it is easy to see that he is the heart of the film. The final scene is his and his alone and he delivers a performance that will have many in tears. He is a constant throughout the movie, and even when he is making poor choices, it is impossible not to see the young man from the beginning of the movie. He is taken under the wing of Brad Pitt’s character and the two have fantastic on screen chemistry.
Calva is able to hold his own against a seasoned actor like Pitt, and even steals some of the scenes from him. That said Brad Pitt is always good, in everything he does, and Babylon is no different. There are several times when viewers will get lost in the story thanks to him.
Everyone in this movie is fantastic. It is easily one of the best acting ensembles of the year. Without a doubt.
Overall Thoughts
Babylong is long. There really is no denying that. It clocks in at over three hours, but it moves along at a decent pace throughout. There are very few moments that will have you checking your watch and wondering just how much time is left.
The film does start off with some weird editing choices, but it doesn’t take long for it to find itself and settle in. Again, there are some truly wild and outrageous scenes, but there are also some very down to Earth ones as well. The plot follows several characters through the ins and outs of early Hollywood in what is best described as an insane love letter to the time and industry.
It’s the talented ensemble cast that helps make Babylon one of the most unforgettable films of the year. It will have viewers split but no matter what side of the fence you fall on, you won’t soon forget Babylon.
Rating: 4 out of 5
About Babylon
From Damien Chazelle, Babylon is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association, Hollywood Critics Association, and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.
This content was originally published here.
