Will Babylon Live Up To The Hype?

Brad Pitt talks about his kiss with Margot Robbie in Babylon. In their third film together, Pitt and Robbie share the screen alongside Diego Calva, Samara Weaving, Tobey Maguire, and many other stars in Damien Chazelle's upcoming glitzy epic. Set in 1920s Hollywood, Babylon is set to tell several tales of debauchery and ambition, with its irreverent and over-the-top nature teased by many of the film's stars. Taking a page from her impulsive character's book, Robbie recently said that she improvised a kiss with Pitt's character in one of the film's pivotal scenes, which Chazelle left in because it fit her character Nellie, though the director joked that she had engineered the moment in order to kiss her co-star.

While speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the film's premiere, Pitt addressed the rumor that Robbie snuck a kiss on him in Babylon under the guise of taking creative liberty, brushing off the idea. In addition, Pitt added to the many teases about Babylon's wild nature by saying that Robbie's kiss with his character doesn't come close to her shocking actions in the movie and compliments her performance. Since Pitt and Robbie previously co-starred in critically acclaimed The Big Short and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, his comments constitute high praise for Babylon.

Will Babylon Live Up To The Hype?

Pitt's comment that Babylon could be Robbie's best role yet adds to the long list of teases about the movie, with Robbie previously comparing the movie's shock factor to that of The Wolf of Wall Street. Chazelle has also said that Babylon has the potential to be very personal to the co-stars due to the things they have in common with their characters. In addition, the teasers and set photos for Babylon have promised a gorgeous and chaotic spectacle packed with talent and boasting impressive production design.

Chazelle's previous film La La Land is a tribute to Hollywood thematically similar to Babylon, and the 2016 film garnered massive success and acclaim. All the details released about Babylon have created plenty of buzz around the film, making it natural to wonder whether the movie can live up to the enthusiasm it has generated. While Babylon has yet to debut theatrically, early reviews have indicated that critics are split on the film, with some finding that it successfully conveys its message while others feel that the movie is lacking on several levels.

The consensus among detractors is that the exhilarating cinematic experience is overlong and has a hollow center without a substantial narrative, though even the most critical of the film seem to agree that Babylon is a spectacular sight to behold. Reviewers have praised the 's originality, spectacle, energy, and impressive performances, indicating that Pitt's comments about Robbie's performance could be right on the money. Babylon could be facing an uphill battle when it comes to winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, but if Robbie's performance continues to shine through, perhaps she will score a win for the film by taking home the award for Best Actress.