Babylon (2022)

The film chronicles the rise and fall of various figures during Hollywood's transition from silent films to the era of sound in the late 1920s.

The story

Set in 1926, the story follows Manuel "Manny" Torres, a Mexican immigrant working in Hollywood, and his interactions with various figures during a hedonistic party at a studio boss's mansion. Amidst a scene of excess, Manny becomes infatuated with Nellie LaRoy, a rising star from New Jersey. As the industry begins its tumultuous transition from silent films to 'talkies,' the characters navigate the complexities of fame, identity, and the changing landscape of the film industry. The narrative follows their intertwined paths as they struggle to adapt to the new demands of sound technology and the shifting cultural landscape of the late 1920s.

First release year

2022

Runtime (minutes)

189

Production countries

United States

Original languages

English

Directors

Damien Chazelle

Writers

Damien Chazelle · writer

Cast and characters

Brad Pitt · not specified; Margot Robbie · not specified; Diego Calva · not specified; Jean Smart · not specified; Jovan Adepo · not specified; Li Jun Li · not specified

Genres

epic; period tragicomedy

Themes

identity and assimilation

Tone and mood

hedonistic; tragic

Setting

Hollywood, California, from 1926 to 1952.

Premise and plot tags

Hollywood; silent film era; sound film transition

Content notes

nudity; profanity; drug use

Reception

The film received a polarized response from critics and was a box-office bomb, though it is said to have developed a cult following in later years.

Reported review scores

Rotten Tomatoes · score: 57% · scale: percentage · review count: 363; Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 63; CinemaScore · score: C+ · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 74% · scale: percentage · review count: audience members

Awards and nominations

Golden Globe Award · Best Original Score · won; British Academy Film Award · Best Production Design · won

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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