Always make a scene.
A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters in an era of unbridled decadence and depravity during Hollywood's transition from silent films to sound films in the late 1920s.
- Addiction
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Overwhelming, nostalgic, epic and relentless.
- cooloverwhelming
- contemporarynostalgic
- intimateepic
- contemplativerelentless
- effortlessdemanding
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is it too big for its own story?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is the nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Does the pace leave no room to feel anything?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Jan 20237/10
It's a sort of triptych of stories of Hollywood, this. A tale that starts off with all the excesses and hedonism of the cocaine fuelled, sexually lascivious antics where even an elephant isn't too much for a party hosted by a movie mogul. It's here we meet the three characters who provide the thread for the rest of this maelstrom of a movie. Firstly we have the young, naive, but quick-thinking "Manny" (Diego Calva) who manages to attract the attention of the much-married, established and former silent screen star "Jack Conrad" (Brad Pitt) all whilst Margot Robbie's ambitious and outrageous "Nellie LaRoy" is sniffing, snorting, dancing and generally sexifying everything she touches as she bids to get into the acting business. What now ensues is a really well crafted and thoughtfully entertaining tale of the rise and fall and rise and fall of these three characters and of how their success brings failure as surely as the sun comes up. Robbie is on excellent form, a truly convincing performance as a character ill-equipped for the journey she is so determined to undertake. Pitt, likewise, plays well here. His character has less in the way of shock factor to deliver, but that storyline
Read the whole review on TMDB - Nathanon TMDB · Jan 20239/10
Babylon is debauchery at its finest. It encapsulates an era like no other and dares to be so different, yet so appealing. On the surface this film is a very straightforward plot, following our three leads and their attempts at success in the ever-changing world of cinema. But deep down, there is another message that is so relevant to everyone's life: accepting death/irrelevance. Just as fast as our characters achieve their dreams of being stars in the industry, these dreams are quickly whisked away by the brutality and cutthroat nature of Hollywood. This is juxtaposed with Brad Pitts character, a man already on downward spiral of his career, trying to desperately hold on to what remains. These arches are so honest and vulnerable, I found very compelling. The performances were top notch all around, and I would expect nothing more from a stacked cast of actors including Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt. But the surprise of the bunch was Diego Calva. He was fantastic and stole many scenes he was featured in with both Robbie and Pitt. He is the true lead of this film and does an excellent job bearing the load. I really enjoyed almost aspects of the film, but towards the end there are some s
Read the whole review on TMDB - Chris Sawinon TMDB · Dec 20225/10
A fecal, anal honking, and vomit-infused tale revolving around orgy-driven slaphappiness and punchdrunk intoxication as the silent movie era disjointedly stumbled into sound and talkies. Channeling the likes of Michel Hazanavicius’ _The Artist_ and _Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas_ with a rhythmically chaotic boogie seemingly torn right out of Gasper Noe’s _Climax_, _Babylon_ is an aggressive assault of the senses loosely thread together by cinematic evolution and dwindling fame. **Full review:** https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/12/15/babylon-review-requiem-for-the-silver-screen/
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Diego CalvaManny Torres
- Margot RobbieNellie LaRoy
- Brad PittJack Conrad
- Jovan AdepoSidney Palmer
- Jean SmartElinor St. John
- J.C. CurraisTruck Driver
- Jimmy OrtegaElephant Wrangler
- Marcos A. FerraezPolice Officer
- Shane PowersDale
- Phoebe TonkinJane Thornton
Crew
- Damien ChazelleDirector
- Damien ChazelleWriter
- Linus SandgrenDirector of Photography
- Justin HurwitzOriginal Music Composer
- Tom CrossEditor
- Marc PlattProducer
- Olivia HamiltonProducer
- Matthew PlouffeProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
The Bride! 202671% alikeBoth overwhelming, nostalgic.
Tommy 197565% alikeBoth overwhelming, relentless.
Elvis 202264% alikeBoth nostalgic, epic, relentless.
Kubi 202358% alikeBoth epic.
True History of the Kelly Gang 201957% alikeBoth overwhelming; this one is more grave.
Full Metal Jacket 198756% alikeClose across the board; this one is more contemporary.
Hamilton 202555% alikeBoth epic.
The Devils 197155% alikeBoth overwhelming.
Public Access Afterworld 202678% alikeBook · Both overwhelming, epic, nostalgic.
The Good Lord Bird 202061% alikeTelevision · Both overwhelming, epic.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
