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IMDbPro

Babel

  • 20062006
  • RR
  • 2h 23m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
302K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,154
21
Babel (2006)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount
Play trailer2:32
6 Videos
99+ Photos
Drama
Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
302K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,154
21
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu
    • Writers
      • Guillermo Arriaga(idea)
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu(idea)
    • Stars
      • Brad Pitt
      • Cate Blanchett
      • Gael García Bernal
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu
    • Writers
      • Guillermo Arriaga(idea)
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu(idea)
    • Stars
      • Brad Pitt
      • Cate Blanchett
      • Gael García Bernal
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 991User reviews
    • 260Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 43 wins & 136 nominations total

    Videos6

    Babel
    Trailer 2:32
    Babel
    'Babel' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:26
    'Babel' | Anniversary Mashup
    Cate Blanchett's Films of Hope
    Clip 4:30
    Cate Blanchett's Films of Hope
    Babel
    Clip 0:39
    Babel
    Babel
    Clip 1:06
    Babel
    Behind the Scenes of Babel
    Featurette 12:00
    Behind the Scenes of Babel

    Photos215

    Adriana Barraza, Elle Fanning, and Nathan Gamble in Babel (2006)
    Cate Blanchett in Babel (2006)
    Babel (2006)
    Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in Babel (2006)
    Adriana Barraza in Babel (2006)
    Rinko Kikuchi in Babel (2006)
    Brad Pitt in Babel (2006)
    Gael García Bernal in Babel (2006)
    Rinko Kikuchi in Babel (2006)
    Rinko Kikuchi in Babel (2006)
    Adriana Barraza, Elle Fanning, and Nathan Gamble in Babel (2006)
    Brad Pitt in Babel (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Brad Pitt
    Brad Pitt
    • Richard
    Cate Blanchett
    Cate Blanchett
    • Susan
    Gael García Bernal
    Gael García Bernal
    • Santiago
    Mohamed Akhzam
    • Anwar
    Peter Wight
    Peter Wight
    • Tom
    Harriet Walter
    Harriet Walter
    • Lilly
    Trevor Martin
    • Douglas
    Matyelok Gibbs
    • Elyse
    Georges Bousquet
    • Robert
    Claudine Acs
    • Jane
    André Oumansky
    André Oumansky
    • Walter
    Michael Maloney
    Michael Maloney
    • James
    Dermot Crowley
    Dermot Crowley
    • Barth
    Wendy Nottingham
    • Tourist
    Henry Maratray
    • Tourist
    Linda Broughton
    • Tourist
    Jean Marc Hulot
    • Tourist
    Aline Mowat
    • Tourist
    • Director
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu
    • Writers
      • Guillermo Arriaga(idea)
      • Alejandro G. Iñárritu(idea)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene where Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) and her father are in the car together was shot without filming permission from the city due to slow Japanese bureaucratic procedures. The crew created "man-made" busy traffic, and began shooting the scene. Later the police started chasing them while still shooting the scene.
    • Goofs
      After the wedding, Amelia, her nephew and the Jones children use the Tecate border crossing to reenter the USA. After fleeing, we are shown a sandy, wide desert where they wander. Actually, the Tecate border crossing is in the mountains, there is no such desert within a reasonable distance on the USA side. What is shown looks like an Arizona border crossing.
    • Quotes

      Mike Jones: My mom said Mexico is dangerous.

      Santiago: [in Spanish] Yes, it's full of Mexicans.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Babel/Catch a Fire/Running with Scissors/Death of a President/The Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Para Que Regreses
      El Chapo

      Gabriel Ramirez

      Maximo Aguirre Music Publishing, Inc.

      D Disa Latin Music, S. de R.L. de C.V

    User reviews991

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Four stories. Three countries. One powerful film.
    If you – like me, and so many others – found 'Crash' (2005) offensively finger-wagging and dumb (its inherent message was: "Racism is bad."), Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel will make it up to you with refreshing intelligence, respect for cultures and crisp acting. The plot outline is difficult to do justice in one sentence but much like Crash it explores culture clashes in life by navigating multiple interweaving story lines.

    One of these is the story of the married couple Richard and Susan Jones, played by Pitt and Blanchett, who travel to Morocco 'to get away'. Theirs is a remarkably complex and bruised marriage at first but once the plot gradually unfolds the root of their problems becomes apparent. What is most remarkable about their storyline is that Brad Pitt actually emotes as an actor (although is he is grossly facilitated by heartfelt circumstances) and that Cate Blanchett regrettably never gets the chance to shine in her performance.

    Cut to two young Arabic boys in the barren craggy hills of the outback of Morocco. They are brothers whom have just been given a rifle by their father to protect their goats and now they are having fun in learning how to fire the weapon. There is refreshing gritty honesty in the portrayal of this storyline – from the dirt and heat on their clothes to the realistic dialogue – and many heartrending moments due to the aforementioned. But be warned, this is no glossy or romantic depiction of North Africa...

    Another storyline takes place in colourful Tokyo in Japan, detailing the teenage life of a deaf girl called Chieko. Hers is arguably the most compelling story especially in terms of sheer fun to be had. Being a teenage girl is hard enough and Chieko finds that her disability distances her from other people – the boys she is interested in looks at her like she is a monster – and frustrated and desperate to be loved, she indulges in teenage clichés like partying and drinking in the modern mess that is Tokyo. Here I found the single most vivid disco sequence completely sucking me in and not letting go until the fast-paced euphoria of Chieko finally subsided. There is absolute gold to be found in this Tokyo story.

    Finally, the last storyline takes place in Mexico and the main character is a woman called Amelia (Adriana Barraza), who also happens to be Richard and Susan's nanny. When her son is getting married in Mexico and she cannot get a day off, she takes the kids with her across the border. Big mistake. I'm sure many will be able to identify with the sprawling surge of Mexican culture at the wedding and indeed the music and pace made this storyline both beautiful and enjoyable to follow. It is evident that director Alejandro González Iñárritu feels most at home in this setting and as a result, the story shines and its characters emote.

    Although there is a lot to keep track of in 'Babel' owing to its many story lines, there is such a fluent and seamless intercutting of these segments that it is impossible not to be entranced in the entirety of the film. There is a wealth of juxtapositions of culture to be found and much fun and visual stimulation to be had because of it. From the dramatic barren landscapes of Morocco to the fast-paced teen world of Tokyo, Babel treats contrast with remarkable sensitivity and skill of the subject matter. In other words, it gives a nonsentimental yet compassionate insight into the lives of different people whose stories orbit around the kaleidoscope that is 'Babel', sewn together by unsparing and uninhibited performances.

    Better yet, you get so caught up in each story that when it cuts to make room for the next you feel almost a little offended – and that is good film-making. Babel, given its content, is everything Crash was not. Finally, it offers a satisfying and humble conclusion to an otherwise epic film. Although I cannot help but remark, Iñárritu, come on – you could have made a good movie in less than 2½ hours... *hmph*

    8 out of 10
    helpful•351
    290
    • Flagrant-Baronessa
    • Nov 3, 2006

    FAQ9

    • What did Chieko write to the Detective?
    • What does the title mean?
    • How much English is spoken?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 10, 2006 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Mexico
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Vidio (Indonesia)
      • West Video (Russia)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Spanish
      • Japanese
      • Berber languages
      • French
      • Russian
      • Japanese Sign Language
    • Also known as
      • Tháp Babel
    • Filming locations
      • Ouarzazate, Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Paramount Vantage
      • Anonymous Content
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,302,837
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $389,351
      • Oct 29, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $135,330,182
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 23 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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