Babel

Rating: ****/*****, or 7/10

Iňárritu's call for tolerance and mutual understanding between everyone, no matter what their ethnic, linguistic or religious background, is an ingeniously woven mosaic following four families around the globe in the aftermath of a boyish prank gone terribly wrong. An American couple (compellingly portrayed by Brad Pitt and and always phenomenal Cate Blanchett) on vacation in Morocco sees a good time turning into a nightmare when the wife accidentally gets shot by two Moroccan boys playing with their father's gun, their family afterwards immediately suspected of terrorist activities by the local authorities. Meanwhile, the couple's Mexican babysitter gets into trouble at the American border with their two children in tow, and a widower in Japan, the former owner of the gun, deals with his deaf teenage daughter's blossoming sexuality. Iňárritu's message is clear: if people tried harder to listen to each other, a lot of trouble could be avoided. Overall, Iňárritu gets a little too preachy near the end of the picture, despite thoughtful writing and solid acting.

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Rinko Kikuchi

Directed by Alejandro González Iňárritu

USA/Mexico: Paramount Vantage, 2006