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Parallel lives
Nils van der Linden
Posted Thu, 22 Feb 2007
"We are one but we're not the same," goes that most overplayed of U2 songs. A reflection of our individuality, it's oft mistaken for a celebration of humanity's oneness — the whole "one world one voice" idea.
There's little chance of such confusion with Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's compelling study of people, their differences (real and perceived), and how those differences conspire to keep those people apart.
'Babel' is as heavy as it sounds — but certainly not as boring, the writer-and-director team behind '21 Grams' and 'Amores Perros' weaving together interlocking stories to create a vibrant, intricate tapestry that's greater than the sum of its parts. But if the first two instalments of their trilogy were like shattered mirrors, forcing you to put the wildly strewn shards together as the films progressed, the final puzzle piece from Innaritu and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga isn't quite as difficult to figure out.
Structurally less intricate than its predecessors — stories run parallel and rarely overlap — what the film lacks in complexity it makes up with scope and ambition. The focus may still be on individuals and their experiences but, this time concerning himself with global themes, Innaritu has literally scattered his characters around the world.
A married couple of American tourists find themselves in a life-threatening situation, stranded in a tiny Moroccan village, hitting their heads against a language barrier and US embassy red tape. In the 'States, their two young children are taken south of the border by their nanny, getting a crash course in Mexican tradition — and American prejudices.
A deaf-mute Japanese teen struggling to get over the death of her mother finds herself alienated in her own country, desperately reaching out for affection and personal contact. And back in Morocco a father is faced with a family suddenly and unexpectedly torn apart by violence.
But even as the individuals find themselves lost, frustrated and even bewildered by their predicaments, the audience is left reeling by the culture shock. The small stone settlements and rural lifestyle of North Africa may have succumbed to the global domination of Coca-Cola. But life in that stark, harsh terrain (captured in washed out browns, yellows and greys) is certainly beyond the comprehension of many Westerners.
So too is the party-meets-morning-after atmosphere of Mexico (grainy '70s style footage with plenty of reds) and the overcrowded, overwhelming metropolis that is Tokyo (neons, steel, glass and masses of people shot in a slick, detached style that makes 'Lost In Translation' seem like a Hawaiian holiday).
Holding our hands — and reminding us that, despite our differences, we're more alike than the film initially suggests — is a strong ensemble cast. Although Brad Pitt still clutches his head to convey "distraught", he's more haggard and desperate than we've seen him before, while Cate Blanchett balances fragility with a quiet resolve, sometimes forcing you to look away.
Gabriel Garcia Bernal again proves there's more to him than looks as a charmin', fun-lovin' but hot headed Mexican but it's Rinko Kikuchi, who sparkles as the Japanese girl Chieko. It's difficult to understand her ill-judged attempts to gain acceptance, and put up with her teen mood swings, and yet the 26-year-old actress succeeds in creating sympathy, compassion and believability.
Less believable though is the neat way in which Innaritu and Arriaga tie up the American stories, solving problems with simple throwaway lines in the script and providing the prerequisite ending. But perhaps it’s a comment on Western audiences and their demands — there's much more to 'Babel' than the simplicity of its individual strands suggests.
