Babel

‘Babel speaks well of itself’

Every award season for the last several years there has been some movie that involves a cast of characters and instead of focusing on one major storyline,it tends to focus on the interweaving of human lives into a bigger tapestry. A good example of such a film was the best film winner last year Crash by Paul Haggis which explored the various types and prevalence of racism in today’s society. Last year’s Crash is this years Babel.

If Babel were to garner several Oscar nominations, it would be no surprise to Alejandro González Iñárritu who has an oscar nomination for each film he has made so far. His first film is perhaps the most unheard of, Amores Perros, but it did gain an Oscar nod for possible Best Foreign film. His next film was the more well-known 21 Grams in which most of the actors involved received Oscar nominations. So to say that I entered the film with high expectations should be fair. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. I have never seen his first film but 21 Grams I thought was better than the similar film Traffic. However, I truly feel that Alejandro González Iñárritu has finally come into his own with his recent masterwork Babel. The pace is brisk and energetic and even though the ties between the various characters takes a long time to come together, they do come together and don’t feel forced. The timeline is also well conceived in a minimalistic style so that everything falls into place with a single phone call and a detective visit. High praise should go to Guillermo Arriaga who wrote all of the films directed by Alejandro. High praise to Alejandro for delivering excellent films all the time and for making a film that is very relevant to a world that feels lost.

The film spans 4 major stories that are interlinked. The stories take place in Morrocco, Mexico, Japan, and America respectively and reveal the universality among man to need a connection to others. The film’s plot is really irrelevant (despite the fact that is amazing) except for how well it conveys its ideas and themes. For a film all about the inability of language and mankind to connect to each other, Babel makes its themes and points exquisitely clear. From the deaf Japanes girl looking for love to the unhappy couple who find their love for each other again only after one has been shot by accident. Each story is so unique and heart-wrenching that it is one of the most powerful movies of the year. The real problem for the film come Oscar time is it does utilize an undercurrent political commentary on America post-911. The inability for Brad Pitt to get his wife to a hospital fter she has been shot only to hear it is because the American government stopped the Morroccan ambulance so that they could send in their helicopter and publicize it could easily come off as criticism of American policy and how the government is trying to promote itself to its own citizens through newscoverage and not caring as much about the individuals in trouble. In fact, looking back on all the stories, the only real “bad guy” per se would be the American government. The great news is that Alejandro makes a conscious effort to downplay these elements and does reveal a difference in Americans and the American Government’s current policy. Thank you for that Alejandro, but I’m afraid come award time the political undercurrent might play against you. Or, since Hollywood is full of liberal nuts (supposedly) maybe it will boost the chances for this film.

As for acting, there will definitely be some nominations from this film. Brad Pitt plays one of the more believable and lovable roles that he has ever played. Although he doesn’t seem to stand out from the rest of the remarkable cast as well. Cate Blanchett on the other hand needs to go ahead and prepare a speech for that Oscar nod as her performance is riveting and sad and ultimately uplifting. Very impressive considering the little screen time she is given. The talk regarding these two actors has been very high since the film came out among critics, but I propose two other candidates. No, Gael Garcia Bernal. Yes he does a fine job but his necessity to the plot and his character just aren’t as interesting as others in the film. I suggest the young Morroccan son Boubker Ait El Caid and the deaf Japanese girl Rinko Kikuchi. Both of their performances are so believable and so powerful that you automatically like them even if you don’t agree with what they do. The idea of taking practice by shooting at cars does not seem like a great idea, but it is believable in their acting. These two unheard of actors take risks and drive fill their character’s shoes superbly (Plus Boubker Ait El Caid looks a little like a Middle-Eastern version of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, how cute!). Nobody in the cast stands badly and there is no doubt that you will leave this movie changed and/or affected in some way. This is a must-see movie for anyone truly interested in movies that make you think. If you like fluff, stay the hell away.

4.75 out of 5

Wannabe