I can't say that I liked this film because there are many things in it which either upset me or I didn't feel belonged in the film. It is a film which touches many different emotions because of the variety of narratives and themes that the plot deals with. On one hand, it is a film that shows how you sometimes find humanity in the most unexpected of places. On another hand, it shows that sometimes people fall into the depths of despair so drastically that it becomes practically impossible to dig yourself out. It is also about how the most spontaneous choices we make can destroy us and those around us, and how sometimes even the best of intentions can be the worst decisions we ever make.
The narrative involves telling several stories from different times and angles. For example, the story of the Moroccan boys with a new rifle is developed to where something bad happens, but the audience is not lead to see what that event is until later when another part of the story leads us to another view of the same incident. Then, the story of the deaf and mute Japanese girl dealing with her handicap is told, and it seems like this plot has no place in the movie. Another story develops with the loving Mexican nanny whose decision to take her wards with her to Mexico for a family wedding ends up destroying her life, even though she did so with the best of intentions. Whatever reason the title "Babel" is used, for me, it was meant as a metaphor for the Tower of Babel where a communication barrier creates conflicts that unfortunately cannot be resolved. The American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette) traveling in Morocco must face the differences between their culture and the Muslims, while the two young American children find themselves suddenly trust into the Mexican culture that is somewhat strange, briefly scary (the killing of a chicken), and then fun (the wedding reception). This storyline for me is the most interesting, because it really could have been a separate movie that lead to human rights being fought for because of what happens to the poor Mexican lady who deserved better treatment than she got once her plans to return the children home went haywire. Adriana Barraza gives an amazing performance as the nanny; I thought she was award worthy and was thrilled to find out she got an Oscar Nomination. Not since Louise Beavers and Juanita Moore in both versions of "Imitation of Life" has there been such a well developed characterization of the tragedies and struggles of a servant whose devotion to their employers (in this case, Amelia's charges) is so filled with angelic beauty. This character truly is an Angel in America, suffering for being more loving than anybody can imagine.
I had a difficult time with the story of the deaf Japanese girl (Rinko Kikuchi). Yes, I can certainly feel for her loneliness but her seeming obsession with sexual attention was painful to watch, even if it was a pitiful cry for love at any degree. The scene in the dentist's office was particularly sickening to see, even if it shows an accurate account of the depths of despair that this character was going through. Kikuchi is excellent in the role, and it is probably the almost unbearable viewing of her pathetic life that made this role quite challenging and extremely difficult to play. Again, this is another plot which could have been a separate movie, watching this character get the psychological help she needed to move on to accept her deafness and accept herself for who she was. I found it entirely too creepy to watch.
There is also a brief sequence that I thought was unnecessary and made me very uncomfortable, watching the young Moroccan boy watching his older sister voluntarily strip naked for him, then him try to relieve himself afterwords. Was this really important to the plot? Not at all, and it sickened me to see this included. Develop these boys story with having the gun and the tragedy it resulted in, but keep the sexual contact out of it. It doesn't belong here.
There is the humanity level of the story which finds different nationalities coming together as one. We are reminded here we are not of different race. We are part of the human race, one which I would like to write every time some application asks me to specify. The scenes of the Arabs being more sympathetic to Brad Pitt's plight than the American tourists on the bus was very revealing. Also, how this blew up in the press as well. When a private painful event such as this happens, where should the press draw back? It becomes disgusting every time I see a private citizen's life in the news being invaded when they deserve respect was confirmed in the scenes with Pitt and the press here. This is a film I will have to think a lot about to really confirm how much I like it on the whole.
The narrative involves telling several stories from different times and angles. For example, the story of the Moroccan boys with a new rifle is developed to where something bad happens, but the audience is not lead to see what that event is until later when another part of the story leads us to another view of the same incident. Then, the story of the deaf and mute Japanese girl dealing with her handicap is told, and it seems like this plot has no place in the movie. Another story develops with the loving Mexican nanny whose decision to take her wards with her to Mexico for a family wedding ends up destroying her life, even though she did so with the best of intentions. Whatever reason the title "Babel" is used, for me, it was meant as a metaphor for the Tower of Babel where a communication barrier creates conflicts that unfortunately cannot be resolved. The American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette) traveling in Morocco must face the differences between their culture and the Muslims, while the two young American children find themselves suddenly trust into the Mexican culture that is somewhat strange, briefly scary (the killing of a chicken), and then fun (the wedding reception). This storyline for me is the most interesting, because it really could have been a separate movie that lead to human rights being fought for because of what happens to the poor Mexican lady who deserved better treatment than she got once her plans to return the children home went haywire. Adriana Barraza gives an amazing performance as the nanny; I thought she was award worthy and was thrilled to find out she got an Oscar Nomination. Not since Louise Beavers and Juanita Moore in both versions of "Imitation of Life" has there been such a well developed characterization of the tragedies and struggles of a servant whose devotion to their employers (in this case, Amelia's charges) is so filled with angelic beauty. This character truly is an Angel in America, suffering for being more loving than anybody can imagine.
I had a difficult time with the story of the deaf Japanese girl (Rinko Kikuchi). Yes, I can certainly feel for her loneliness but her seeming obsession with sexual attention was painful to watch, even if it was a pitiful cry for love at any degree. The scene in the dentist's office was particularly sickening to see, even if it shows an accurate account of the depths of despair that this character was going through. Kikuchi is excellent in the role, and it is probably the almost unbearable viewing of her pathetic life that made this role quite challenging and extremely difficult to play. Again, this is another plot which could have been a separate movie, watching this character get the psychological help she needed to move on to accept her deafness and accept herself for who she was. I found it entirely too creepy to watch.
There is also a brief sequence that I thought was unnecessary and made me very uncomfortable, watching the young Moroccan boy watching his older sister voluntarily strip naked for him, then him try to relieve himself afterwords. Was this really important to the plot? Not at all, and it sickened me to see this included. Develop these boys story with having the gun and the tragedy it resulted in, but keep the sexual contact out of it. It doesn't belong here.
There is the humanity level of the story which finds different nationalities coming together as one. We are reminded here we are not of different race. We are part of the human race, one which I would like to write every time some application asks me to specify. The scenes of the Arabs being more sympathetic to Brad Pitt's plight than the American tourists on the bus was very revealing. Also, how this blew up in the press as well. When a private painful event such as this happens, where should the press draw back? It becomes disgusting every time I see a private citizen's life in the news being invaded when they deserve respect was confirmed in the scenes with Pitt and the press here. This is a film I will have to think a lot about to really confirm how much I like it on the whole.