As a cinephile who has seen my fair share of films, I can confidently say that Babylon is one of those movies that left me utterly bewildered. Given its star-studded cast and renowned director, I had high expectations for this movie. However, it seemed to have missed the mark with both critics and audiences alike, which left me scratching my head in disbelief.
Initially anticipated as a film poised for critical acclaim, impressive box office earnings, and significant recognition during awards season in 2022, Babylon seemed like an unmissable prospect given its prestigious team behind it – Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle and stars Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt among them. However, contrary to expectations, the movie failed to capture widespread appeal, resulting in a disappointing box office performance for Paramount Pictures and mixed reviews at its release. Remarkably, the film still has a dedicated fanbase who believe it will be reevaluated favorably in the years to come, with Margot Robbie herself sharing this sentiment.
In the course of their conversation on the Talking Pictures podcast, host Ben Mankiewicz expressed his fondness for the movie Babylon and asked Robbie, “What is it about this film that some people don’t seem to like?” Robbie, who remains puzzled by its initial lackluster response, replied, “I’m still saying the same thing! I adore it…I can’t fathom it either. I’m involved with the project, so naturally I support it. Yet, I can’t comprehend why people disliked it so much.” The actress then pondered if time would lead to a renewed appreciation for the film.
I frequently ponder if, in twenty years, folks will find it hard to believe that ‘Babylon’ didn’t succeed initially. It’s intriguing when films like ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ were initially considered flops, and you can’t help but think, ‘Really? How could that be?’
Babylon Didn’t Land With Critics or Moviegoers
Chazelle penned and directed the film titled Babylon, which chronicled the ups and downs of various characters as Hollywood moved from silent films to sound in the late 1920s. The movie boasted a talented lineup, including Robbie, Pitt, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas, Tobey Maguire, and others. Despite its impressive pedigree, the film garnered mixed reactions, scoring a 57% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics saying that while Babylon’s excessive nature was tiring, it resembled the industry it celebrated, as its well-performed, meticulously crafted glamour could often serve as an entertaining diversion.
The movie, titled Babylon, unfortunately did not perform well financially, earning only $15.4 million in the U.S. and $63.4 million worldwide. This underperformance came despite a total production and promotional budget of $160 million. Initial reports suggested that the film needed to make at least $250 million globally just to break even, but it fell short, leading Paramount Pictures to incur an estimated loss of $87.4 million on the project.
Despite the fact that “Babylon” didn’t prove successful, Robbie found working with Chazelle to be commendable and was genuinely impressed by the amount of work he undertook during production. Notably, she admired how Chazelle stretched her character Nellie LaRoy to her utmost limits and even experimented with various accents for the film’s role.
In simpler terms, it seems as though no one ever fully utilized their potential – if they were a car, no one pushed the gas pedal all the way down. However, this character always desired maximum speed, constantly seeking more and more. During preparation, I even recorded 52 different accents for him on my phone, showing his endless thirst for variety. I jokingly said to Damien, “You need to make a decision now because this is becoming absurd!
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2024-11-27 21:01