IMDb > Babel (2006)
Babel
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Babel (2006) -- Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.
Babel (2006) -- Clip: Is This Mexico?
Babel (2006) -- 12 minute Behind-the-scenes featurette on Babel
Babel (2006) -- Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.
Babel (2006) -- Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   85,173 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers (WGA):
Guillermo Arriaga (written by)
Guillermo Arriaga (idea) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Babel on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 November 2006 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
If You Want to be Understood...Listen more
Plot:
Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 27 wins & 75 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(222 articles)
Birthday Suits, Well Directed
 (From FilmExperience. 30 November 2009, 6:05 AM, PST)

Birthday Suits, That Girl Those Girls
 (From FilmExperience. 21 November 2009, 7:00 AM, PST)

User Comments:
A Powerful Conclusion to Iñárritu's Trilogy more (846 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Babel (France)
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MPAA:
Rated R for violence, some graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use.
Runtime:
143 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Since each story was filmed at different times and on different continents, some of the cast members never met their counterparts until the film's premiere. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Amelia's torn stockings from wandering in the desert repair themselves as she is brought into the immigration office. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Hassan: It's almost new. Three hundred cartridges. The guy who gave it to me said you can hit as far as three kilometers.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 2007 MTV Movie Awards (2007) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
El Pachangon more

FAQ

How much English is spoken?
Is the gun that Chieko's father gave his Moroccan guide the same gun that Chieko's mother used to kill herself?
What does the title mean?
more
75 out of 123 people found the following comment useful.
A Powerful Conclusion to Iñárritu's Trilogy, 11 March 2007
9/10
Author: Sean Rutledge (rutledgesean@hotmail.com) from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

"Babel" represents director Alejanrdo Gonzalez Iñárritu's conclusion to a trilogy that begins with "Amores Perros" and continues with "21 Grams". That being said, if you have seen either of those films and did not like them, it is probably fair to assume that you will not like "Babel" either. Thematically and stylistically, this film continues in the same direction, but increases in scope, illustrating that one incident can trigger a devastating series of events all around the globe.

Like "21 Grams", "Babel" is constructed as a puzzle, with different pieces transpiring during different times and in different places. Many viewers will no doubt see similarities to Paul Haggis' "Crash" which explores similar issues; however Iñárritu's piece places more emphasis on human emotion and requires the viewer to be much more participative in the interpretation of themes and ideas.

The film is set into motion when the young sons of a Moroccan goat herder get careless with a new rifle and accidentally shoot an American tourist (Cate Blanchett) traveling with her husband (Brad Pitt). This one act sets off a series of tragedies with global implications. American officials interpret this as an act of terrorism and of course the media reflects this accordingly. There is a story of the couple's undocumented nanny who juggles taking care of their kids while attending her own son's wedding in Mexico. In my favorite story, a deaf Japanese girl (Rinko Kikuchi) struggles with her mother's recent suicide and a father who is emotionally distant. This story doesn't reveal its connection to the others until late in the film, but it is undoubtedly the most poignant.

At its core, "Babel" is about the difficulty of human communication and even though stories unfold in four different countries and in five languages (English, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese, and Sign); language is far from the principal obstacle. This film is more concerned with cultural assumptions and biases that tend to obscure reality and how our perceived differences keep us from connecting to each other. There are many reasons to recommend "Babel", but most of all because of its astounding ability to cope with issues of global importance while also presenting characters whose individual struggles are no less compelling.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Babel (2006)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Going nowhere. loonatic333
The end of japanese chick's story was so . . . incestous !!! kdy_9
Probably asked before, but about the chicken... ellectrastar
how can this not be in the top 250!? helenko6
How Could You Live With Yourself? Ashbash19
no subtitles ever? orionbaby410
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