Film Review: Babylon

Director: Damien Chazelle
Starring: Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Diego Calva
Running time: 189 minutes

Damien Chazelle has always had style. He created countless iconic moments in his stunning debut feature, Whiplash. He captured the beauty and magic of the City of Stars in La La Land. He explored the boundless wonders of space in First Man. Yet, throughout all of these films, there was always substance to underpin the style; an intelligent, engaging story to keep the audience hooked beyond the elegant visuals. Babylon, however, largely forgets to bring the latter to the party - despite its colossal runtime. It’s beautiful, sure, and often entertaining, but for the first time, it lacks that something special that we've come to expect. 

An exploration of the crazy days of early filmmaking, this behemoth follows several folk trying to make it big - Margot Robbie’s rising star Nellie LaRoy, Diego Calva’s runner-turned-producer Manny Torres, Jovan Adepo’s jazz sensation Sidney Palmer, and Brad Pitt’s soon-to-be-has-been Jack Conrad, to name a few - as they navigate the heady highs and dark lows of show business. There are wild parties and crushing magazine columns, brushes with gangsters and a real-life elephant, as Babylon attempts to examine every inch of old Hollywood. And in this lies the issue - there is so much ground covered, but so little of it is properly dug into. 

In having four concurrent storylines, the narrative is stretched far too thin; instead of a deep dive into any particular motif, Chazelle’s ode to cinema only ever pays lip service to its themes - as interesting as they promise to be. There are undoubtedly interesting ideas at play - a look at the psyche of the ‘fading star’ in Pitt’s case, or the destructive impact of an obsession with fame in Robbie’s and Calva’s cases - but the audience is given so little time to care about these characters, to really know them or their stories, that it is ultimately difficult to care. 

This statement is almost impressive, in a way, considering how long the film runs for, but there we are. Rather than providing proper storytelling depth, extensive chunks of screen time are dedicated to flashy shots and self-indulgent sequences that feel unnecessary or undeserved. One particular left-field subplot involving Tobey Maguire feels especially drawn-out, despite the unique imagery and audacious swings on display. It’s all an impressive showcase of Chazelle’s eye for detail and aesthetic bravery, sure, but one that takes away from the impact of the story. 

That said, for all of its flaws, Babylon will undoubtedly keep your attention for almost the entirety of its extensive runtime. Chazelle is blessed with an array of ridiculous talent here, with his stars elevating what is, at times, a pretty on-the-nose and unsubtle script, and their commitment to their roles is certainly admirable. Calva, in particular, comes out of this as one to watch, more than holding his own against some of cinema’s finest talents. 

And, as self-indulgent as the man behind the camera may be at times, his work really is a showcase of the beauty of cinema, of its ability to transport us to a different time, place and mood. As previously mentioned, this film is all about style, and on that front, it fully delivers. So many scenes are perfectly constructed and bustling with life. These vibrant visuals combine with a remarkable, jazz-infused score to pull the audience into the early twentieth century, and by the time the final credits roll, they will feel as though they themselves have been on a journey that’s as thrilling and, in truth, exhausting as the protagonists’. If Babylon was meant to be a display of the wonders of moviemaking, it doesn’t disappoint.

So, Chazelle’s first flop? Certainly not. But his closest brush with disappointment yet? Without a doubt. If you're happy to dedicate an entire evening towards enjoying a bit of self-indulgent beauty, check this one out. If you’re wanting an engrossing tale to match Aftersun or The Banshees of Inisherin, maybe leave this baby a lon. 

Babylon is now showing at Broadway Cinema