Wonder of the World, Damien Chazelle

There are some movies that mark us more than others. The same is true of Damien Chazelle’s latest film. with babylonthe director takes us by the hand and makes us dance for three hours in the heart of Hollywood’s golden age.

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, January 18, the director invites you on a whirlwind journey through the film industry. Bring out your best fancy dress, here’s our review babylon on a silver platter.

Once upon a time in Hollywood…

We are in Los Angeles in 1926. Silent cinema is at its peak and Hollywood is broken. As long as you have the means and status, all excesses are allowed. So, babylon opens with preparations for a grand party, the highlight of the show being an elephant. The foundations are laid, welcome to Hollywood!

In this absolutely crazy universe, many want to make a place for themselves. But this is far from an easy task. babylon leads us to meet three characters whose fate is closely related to each other.

Margot Robbie stars as Nelly LaRoy, a sassy young woman who longs to shine in the spotlight, convinced she was born for it. No wonder she’s amazing. If his character is more complex than it seems, we can blame this side “Manic Pixie Dream Girl”. A female character who is a little “crazy” and who admires the (male) hero and is outside the box. Good. At her peak, the actress once again proves that she is more than physical.

In turn, Brad Pitt gives life to the famous actor Jack Conrad, who is well known in the Hollywood landscape. At once funny, biting and emotionally veiled, Brad Pitt excels once again in a role that seems cut out for him.

Finally, Diego Calva plays Manny Torres, who dreams of something “too tall” and a life behind the cameras. The Mexican actor is chosen as the exposure of the film. The character of Manny Torres, who climbs the ranks one by one and loses the sparkle in his eyes over the years, is probably one of the most interesting. babylon.

As we are in the middle of a major era for cinema, the paths of these three characters will cross many times over the course of ten years. Each of his heroes babylon will have to adapt to an industry in complete upheaval.

With the negotiations coming, they will have to either seize the opportunity to climb the ladder or avoid the fall. Other main characters will cross paths, such as musician Sidney Palmer (Jovan Adepo), journalist Elinor St. John (Jean Smart) or the mysterious Lady Fay Zhu (Li Jun Li).

“Life is a party!”

babylon also presents us with a raw vision “Roaring Twentieth” and the Golden Age of Hollywood. In the program: debauchery, luxury and lust. Damien Chazelle sublimates the vulgar and the “dirty” in a film that he decides to dare for the greatest pleasure of the audience. babylonthis is the result of a meeting between them The Great Gatsby and He founded Wall Street. Nelly LaRoy claims it “Life is fun” several times… And what a party!

No matter how fancy it is, babylon behind this layer of glitter hides a less frivolous tone. The characters and their respective fates are touching and make you want to look into their past to better understand their moods. Sometimes overwhelmed by something bigger than themselves, bigger than anything else, the characters are crushed by silent cinema that disappears in favor of changing times, evolving customs and dialogue.

During the three-hour film, the viewer has to stop himself from being overwhelmed by all the emotions. We laugh, we cry, we wonder, we make faces, we cringe, we rejoice, we highlight… interesting writing and sensational acting.

Strong emotions are enhanced by a tense and amazing plot. After more than two hours punctuated by collective euphoria, the director picks up the touch, adopting a harsher and deeper tone as he approaches applause. The finale, moreover, is sensational, resembling fireworks of real emotions and leaving us speechless.

Soundtrack, Babylon’s Other Hero

What would a Damien Chazelle movie be without a brilliant soundtrack? As usual, the director calls on Justin Hurwitz, who already accompanies him La La Land as well as whip. If you liked the soundtracks of these two movies, you will babylon.

Again, the composer takes tunes from old feature films and reworks them for this new project. Fans, in particular, will have well-known excerpts Someone in the crowd It was composed in an instrumental jazz version for the occasion. Jazz and Damien Chazelle’s works are ubiquitous throughout the film. Hero on his own, soundtrack babylon fills the ears. So much so that Justin Hurwitz received his fourth Golden Globe thanks to him. For fans, it’s already available on streaming platforms… Just to make the enjoyment last longer!

© Paramount Pictures

Verdict: Babylon has won our hearts

Both a critic and a true love letter to Hollywood, babylon is fantastic and a whirlwind of hell. It stands out as the movie of the beginning of this year and will surely celebrate the year 2023.

Like a precise conductor, Damien Chazelle gives us a concert of emotions with this new feature film. Extravagant and pitiful, babylon based on adopted score. After a three-hour movie (or the equivalent of decades in Hollywood’s golden age), coming back to reality has a bad road trip effect.