"I love this movie" and hopes for a reevaluation
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| Image Credit: Paramount Pictures |
"Babylon" (2022), is an ambitious film depicting the turbulent Hollywood of the 1920s, directed by Damien Chazelle, director of "Whiplash" (2014) and "La La Land" (2016). Even though it brought together a star-studded cast including Brad Pitt and had a grand vision, it is an unfortunate film that has not been widely accepted. It cost $80 million to produce and grossed $63.56 million worldwide. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received a critic score of 57% and an audience score of 52%, but Margot Robbie, who played the role of Nelly Laroy, an actress aiming to become a top star in this film, has doubts about the film being considered a "failure."
Robbie, who appeared on the podcast "Talking Pictures," said emphatically about "Babylon," "I still say it's my favorite movie!" When host Ben Mankiewicz said, "I wondered, 'Why is this movie so hated?'" Robbie replied, "I don't understand it either." "I'm very close to this project and I believe in this movie, so I'm biased, but I still don't understand why it was hated. So I imagine that in 20 years people will think, 'Oh, Babylon didn't work at the time,' just like when you hear that The Shawshank Redemption was a flop at the time and you think, 'How could that happen?'"
Regarding his work with Chazelle, Robbie recalled that "Damian was just so thorough," and emphasized that he only had positive memories. "What I really liked was that he always wanted to give it his all, even when it felt like no one was giving it their all. He was always asking for more. That was true even in the preparation stage." In Babylon, Chazelle attempted to depict the frenzy and decline of Hollywood in the golden age of the 1920s, when silent films were transitioning to talkies. Chazelle has spun his own personal view of film history through the portrayal of people trying to achieve their dreams in a world of wealth, fame, ambition, and desire.
In June 2023, Chazelle himself told Business Insider in the US that he "doesn't really care" about the mixed reviews of the film. "When a director finishes a film, it belongs to the audience, including critics. Everyone has a different view, and I think all of them are valid. In a sense, it becomes a world film. [Omitted] It's good that (films) stimulate conversation and debate, and that there are strong opinions on both sides. I knew that there would be people who were frustrated and angry about this film, and that's fine. I think more films should be like that." After that, Chazelle once expressed concerns about his next work due to the poor box office performance of this film, but he is currently working on a new film again with Paramount Pictures "Babylon". Preparations are underway for a release in 2025.
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