Babel

HUGE

In 2003 Mexican born director Alejandro Inarritu brought together an ensemble cast for his film 21 Grams and consequently established himself as a master multi-storyteller. Each tale related in one way or another with little confusion thanks to a superb script and sharp editing. Now, employing a topline international cast including Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal he aptly repeats the ideal formula in his follow-up film Babel, a picturesque chronicle spanning 3 continents, four countries and diverse nationalities.

As the film opens, a Moroccan man is selling a rifle to a loving father of two sons, Yussef and Ahmed. He entrusts the boys with it to kill off jackals who may attack and kill their herd of goats. Both experiment with weapons’ range of fire until Yussef, the youngest and a better shot, lets off a round toward a bus coming up the hill. The bus stops followed by screams. Susan (Cate Blanchett) has been hit in the shoulder.

I was fascinated at how Inarritu put this all together in a way that persuades you to pay attention to what’s going on throughout. Naturally, there are some relatively dry moments. But they contribute so well to the story (ies), you hardly notice them. It was like looking at an unwavering mural.

From the bus incident you’re taken to various parts of the world meeting numerous people who, in the face of their elongated distances from one another, are very much connected. They all face life changing decisions, consequences for their actions that many of us experience in our own lives. Pragamatically unpretentious in every way,

Babel’s company of souls will raise your empathy to a new level of care and concern. There is the previously mentioned Morrocan man and his sons trying to deal with a tragic accident; Susan and Richard (Blanchett and Brad Pitt) attempting to mend a rocky marriage while their babysitter Amelia makes plans to attend her son’s wedding in Mexico and Cheiko, a Japanese deaf mute who goes to outrageous lengths to get boys to like her along with other personal problems.

Scripter Guillermo Arriaga’s nonlinear approach to this inter-related anthology is just as, if not more, brilliant as his scenario for 21 Grams. Some may argue that it’s merely similar to Grams despite it’s strong political message. Nevertheless, the quality of Arriaga’s characters and international plotlines more than compensates for any likeness between the two movies.

It would be a sin for me not to pay homage to Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrone’s timely editing. Inarritu’s winning duo’s arrangement of scenes, sequences and cuts from one story to another kept me on edge for most of the movie. Just as I would start getting impatient about the progress of one tale, they would shift to it instantly.

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett seem an unlikely married couple initially. Their emotions run deep and they convince you that their marriage will work despite it’s problems. Pitt delivers an especially strong performance as Richard whose regard for Susan rises to near hysteria after her being shot. You suffer his desperation to communicate in a foreignland where hardly anyone, except for his fellow passengers, speaks English.

Transitions may be puzzling a little while, yet, when Babel picked up, I realized where and when I was at in the movie. Gustavo Santaolla’s potent score coupled with a sundry collection of international songs heightens the changes and thus helps to take you through smoothly.

Strong supporting roles can also aid in dramatic effect. And again, I would be quite remiss if I did not focus on one incredible performance by Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi in the role of Chieko. She purely dominates in every scene she’s in. One particularly intense setting that will have you either laughing or crying, showcases this young thesp’s talents as a true star. She was nominated for an Oscar for this role and I hope to see more of her in other films.

One other notable performance came from Adriana Barraza (also nominated for an Oscar) who plays housekeeper/babysitter, Amelia. She is keenly determined to attend her
son’s wedding. No matter what she must do. Her story arc becomes rather interesting involving her nephew Santiago and some immigration issues.

Babel reaches out across ethnic barriers of communication, race and class. Something Inarittu handles with the utmost care, illustrating conclusively that despite our differences, all of us on this planet were created in God’s image and therefore part of only one race. The Human race.