Babylon (2022)
Film · Drama, Comedy
Stream it, ifif you enjoy maximalist, sensory-overload spectacles and do not mind three hours of chaotic depravity.
A maximalist, chaotic, and often grotesque sensory overload that captures the manic energy of early Hollywood through breathless set pieces. It is an exhausting three-hour adrenaline ride that trades subtlety for pure spectacle, perfect for those who want their cinema loud and uninhibited.
What it is about
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.
Trailer
What Babylon is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this film is akin to being strapped to a runaway locomotive through a jazz-fuelled fever dream. It is a frantic, deafening, and frequently grotesque experience that prioritises sensory impact over narrative restraint. The pace is punishing, filled with long, sweeping takes and a booming score that rarely allows for a moment of silence. It oscillates between manic comedy and harrowing drama, painting the silent era not as a sepia-toned memory, but as a dangerous, drug-fuelled circus.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is essential viewing for those who appreciate technical craftsmanship and the darker side of Hollywood lore. However, it is an easy skip for anyone seeking a subtle or focused character study. The film is unashamedly bloated and often indulges in bodily-fluid humour that may alienate more sensitive viewers. The central caveat is its exhausting runtime; it demands a significant investment of energy to keep up with its relentless, three-hour assault on the senses.
The right evening for it
It suits an evening when you want to be completely overwhelmed by cinema rather than merely entertained. Clear your schedule and turn up the sound, as this is a loud, maximalist epic that refuses to be background noise.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
Another trailer
Trailer · Nice Trailer
How Babylon leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
You will likely feel physically and emotionally wrung out, left with a lingering sense of melancholy regarding the ephemeral nature of fame and the relentless, grinding machinery of the film industry.
How Babylon ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
After James's associate murders the Count and his roommate, a terrified Manny is spared on the condition that he leaves Los Angeles forever. He flees to New York City and establishes a radio shop. Nellie, having abandoned their plan to escape to Mexico together, dances away into the darkness. Newspaper clippings later reveal that Sidney finds happiness playing in black establishments, while both Elinor and Nellie pass away, with Nellie dying alone from an overdose.
The film ends in 1952 as Manny returns to California with his wife and daughter. After showing them the Kinoscope Studios entrance, he visits a cinema alone to watch Singin' in the Rain. He is moved to tears as he witnesses a transcendent montage of films from across history, reflecting on the industry's evolution and his own past. This final sequence settles the fate of the central figures, confirming that while the individuals perished or moved on, they have been immortalised through the medium of film.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
the same frantic energy and focus on hedonistic, drug-fuelled excess
Boogie Nights (1997)
the ensemble-driven rise and fall of outsiders during a major industry shift
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More clips
Trailer · Official Trailer
Trailer · Official Trailer (Uncensored)
Teaser · Now on Digital
Babylon soundtrack
Music by Justin Hurwitz
- 1Welcome
- 2Manny and Nellie's Theme
- 3King of the Circus
- 4Jub Jub
- 5Coke Room
- 6My Girl's P***y · Justin Hurwitz & Li Jun Li
- 7Miss Idaho
- 8Voodoo Mama
- 9Gold Coast Rhythm (Wallach Party)
- 10Ain't Life Grand
Album and songs from Apple Music.
Awards
Babylon won Best Original Score at the Golden Globes. It was nominated at the Oscars.
Oscars
- Nominated: Best Costume Design · 2023
- Nominated: Best Original Score · 2023
- Nominated: Best Production Design · 2023
Golden Globes
- Won: Best Original Score · 2023
- Nominated: Best Actor (Motion Picture Musical or Comedy) · Diego Calva · 2023
- Nominated: Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) · Margot Robbie · 2023
- Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Motion Picture) · Brad Pitt · 2023
- Nominated: Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) · 2023
From Wikidata, which can miss some.
Questions people ask
- Is Babylon an epic film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Epic, with a funny streak. A maximalist, chaotic, and often grotesque sensory overload that captures the manic energy of early Hollywood through breathless set pieces. It is an exhausting three-hour adrenaline ride that trades subtlety for pure spectacle, perfect for those who want their cinema loud and uninhibited.
- How long is Babylon?
- Babylon runs 189 min and was released in 2022.
- Where can I watch Babylon in Canada?
- In Canada, Babylon is included with Crave, Crave Amazon Channel.
- Where can I watch Babylon in Germany?
- In Germany, Babylon is included with Joyn Plus, Amazon Arthaus Channel, Arthaus+ Apple TV channel, Arthaus+, ProSieben Fun Amazon Channel, Seven Entertainment Amazon Channel, Magenta TV+.
- What awards did Babylon win?
- Babylon won Best Original Score at the Golden Globes. It was nominated at the Oscars.
- Who composed the music for Babylon?
- The music for Babylon is by Justin Hurwitz. The soundtrack album, Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture), has 48 tracks.
- What songs are on the Babylon soundtrack?
- Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture) has 48 tracks, including “Welcome”, “Manny and Nellie's Theme”, “King of the Circus”, “Jub Jub” and “Coke Room”, and more. It is on Apple Music.
- Is Babylon worth watching?
- It depends: if you enjoy maximalist, sensory-overload spectacles and do not mind three hours of chaotic depravity. IMDb users rate it 7.1 out of 10 from 210,636 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 57%, Metacritic 61 and TMDB users 7.3.
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