Babel

Babel is the third film that screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga and director Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu have collaborated on, the two previous being Amores Perros in 2000 and 21 Grams in 2003. Just like its predecessors, Babel weaves multiples storylines together into one all-encompassing picture.

In Babel, we see Richard and Susan (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett), a wealthy couple from San Diego California, vacationing in Morocco to get away from the heartache of their child’s death. While in Morocco, Richard and Susan’s other two children are at home with their Mexican maid, Amelia (Adriana Barraza).

Audiences also shift attention to a local heardsman’s (Said Tarchani) young son (Boubker Ait El Caid) as he recklessly shoots a rifle he has gotten his hands on at a tour bus, shooting Susan in the shoulder – an almost deadly shot. Meanwhile, Amelia has taken Susan and Richard’s two children to Mexico to attend her child’s wedding.

Audiences additionally are following the story of a widower in Tokyo (Koji Yakusho), who is tied to the rifle that almost killed Susan, as he tries to deal with the memories of his promiscuous, troubled, deaf daughter (Rinko Kikuchi).

Through a mix of interweaving stories and strong performances, Babel begins to take shape and show the true crisis that has brought these families together in unexpected ways.