With his latest film ‘Babel’ Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s latest film ‘Babel’ has added another outstanding drama to his list of credits which include ‘Amores Perros’ and ’21 Grams’. ‘Babel’ has deservedly been nominated for multiple Academy Awards.

‘Babel’ starts off in the remote sands of the Morrocan desert where a rifle shot rings out which detonates a chain of events that link an American couple’s frantic struggle to survive, two Morrocan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children and a deaf Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. In the course of a few days these characters are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love.

‘Babel’ has that special quality one associates with Inarritu’s films. He just has the ability to get inside his characters hearts. One can really feel what’s going on for them, and one just wants to do something/anything to help them. Inarritu pulls apart the comfortable distance that one usually associates with a filmgoing experience, and draws one right inside

One’s heart goes out to Richard (Brad Pitt) who is trying to get help from the American embassy to provide medical care to wounded wife, Susan (Cate Blanchett). And to Yasujiro (Koji Yakusho) , a disturbed deaf-mute teenage Japanese girl who has been traumatised by her mother’s suicide and is in desperate need of some affection and care. Inarritu sustains the drama till a final scene that is incredibly poignant.

‘Babel’ was a very well put together film. Inarritu’s taut direction of Guillermo Amiago’s incisive script is top class, and he wins strong performances from a quality cast. Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography gives the film a great look, composer Gustavo Santaolalla provided a haunting, memorable score, and Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione’s editing takes us breathtakingly between the various stories.

‘Babel’ is highly recommended, a fine piece of contemporary, compassionate cinema.

(c) David Kary