Babel
This year saw another release by the depressing duo: director Alejandro González Iñárritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga. You might recognize these guys from Amores Perros and 21 grams, neither of which are billed as lighthearted romps. Arriaga also penned the unconventional revenge tale “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” which is a thinking man’s “Tales From the Crypt” episode and bleak as hell. Together they are known to bringing sharp photography, complex storylines, and top notch talent to the big screen.
In the case of Babel the plot is spread over four countries and in three languages. A lot of people of course consider this to be a gimmick, together with the fact that this movie seems a little bit oriented at manipulating white guilt. Still, it is no Crash, each narrative strand and character stands out on its own as something valuable, something lovingly constructed. If anything it’s the fierce independence of these stories and characters that slightly undermine the cohesiveness of the plot, I mean while everyone is connected by a thin thread of coincidence their similarities are far overshadowed by their differences. The first tale follows a small family of goat farmers in Morocco, in particular their two little boys who seem to be possessed by an irresistible imp of the perverse. During a particular episode of poor impulse control they decide to test the range on their new rifle by shooting at cars. It just so happens that a bus they hit is transporting Richard and Susan (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette respectively) a not-so-happy couple of American tourists. Meanwhile back in America their children are being watched by their nanny Amelia (Adrianna Barraza) who is trying to find somebody else to look after them overnight so she can attend her sons wedding in Mexico. And while it is not clear why at first, all these stories are somehow linked to Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi), a deaf teen girl in Japan dealing with both being different and family issues.
Things go wrong left and right and pretty much everyone in this international cast does a great job of sharing their dread, misery and fear with the viewer. Back in Morocco the goat farming family is being chased by officials who believe the accident to be a terrorist attack and have no choice but to follow through with extreme prejudice since the person who was shot is an American. That person is Susan, and Richard is running out of time trying to get the US embassy to pick her up since the village they are stuck in only has a veterinarian to look after her. Meanwhile Amelia decides to bring Richard and Susan’s children across the border with her to the wedding and, let’s just say getting back into America is not easy for her and her nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal), leading up to a terrifying border confrontation. Back in Japan Chieko’s problems with her family and self image are manifesting through her desperate sexual curiosity, creating a series of encounters that seem to only rob her further of any love she has for herself.
Ultimately the success of this movie comes from the fact that there is no grand finale or clever plot twist. The butterfly effect that sets all these events in motion is secondary to the performances and mood set by the gorgeous photography and flexible score. So, no, Iñárritu’s vision is not a small world after all. It’s a big, frightening and beautiful place that is well worth the experience.
