History Film / Babel

** A young boy masturbating while thinking about his sister.

''Babel'' won a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobeAward for Best Motion Picture – Drama and received several UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for both Creator/RinkoKikuchi and Creator/AdrianaBarraza, winning for Best Original Score.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Tagline}} Listen.]]]]

* AmbiguousEnding: In the Wataya plotline, after Mamiya's departure and questioning regarding [[spoiler:the rifle Yasujiro gave Hassan, the latter heads back to his apartment only to find his daughter, Chieko, getting ready to jump from the very spot she thought her mother did due to the amount of anguish from the incident in Morroco combined with her personal issues. While her father's intervention prevented her from killing herself, its unknown of what becomes of Yasujiro and his daughter at this point]].
* AnachronicOrder: The events all start with Hassan giving the rifle to Ahmed and Yussef, the shooting of Susan and her eventual hospitalization, and then Amelia's departure to Mexico as well as what goes on with Yasujiro and Chieko. Despite that, the arcs of Amelia and the Wataya family (Yasujiro and Chieko) are shown early on in the film between the Morrocan and Richard/Susan's arc despite taking place after it.

* DownerEnding: In the Morocco plotline, [[spoiler:Yussef and Ahmed are cornered by police. Ahmed ends up getting shot twice (possibly fatally) and Yussef surrenders himself to police custody; the family is shattered and will probably all be severely punished along with Hassan due to seriousness of their actions and the turmoil it caused between the USA and Morroco]].

* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: In Richard and Susan's plotline, [[spoiler:despite everything that made it seem like Susan was killed by Yussef during their vacation in Morroco, they pull through it all and it's shown on a TV screen at a Japanese bar that she left the hospital alive, with signs of their relationship improving as shown throughout the arc]].

''Babel'' is a sprawling and draining ensemble piece, following an American couple, Richard (Creator/BradPitt) and Susan Jones (Creator/CateBlanchett), who are vacationing in Morocco trying to sort out their marital difficulties. But then, she’s shot by two local boys fiddling around with their father’s new rifle. As Richard tries to get help with ''much difficulty,'' the couple’s Mexican nanny takes their kids to Mexico for her son’s wedding, accompanied by her nephew (Creator/GaelGarciaBernal). Meanwhile, in Japan, a deaf schoolgirl, Chieko Wataya, tries to overcome the death of her mother and her own sexual frustration.

''Babel'' won a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobeAward for Best Motion Picture – Drama and received several UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for both Creator/RinkoKikuchi and Adriana Barraza, winning for Best Original Score.

* FourLinesAllWaiting

* HyperlinkStory

* MissingMom: Chieko's dead mother.

* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: In Richard and Susan's plotline, [[spoiler:Despite everything that made it seem like Debbie was killed by Yussef during their vacation in Morroco, they pull through it all and its shown on a TV screen at a Japanese bar that she left the hospital alive, with signs of their relationship improving for the better as shown throughout the arc]].
* TraumaButton: Downplayed; While he remains composed, Yasujiro does ''not'' like to be reminded of how [[spoiler:his wife committed suicide and the fact that Chieko saw it happen, especially if they get the story about ''how'' it happened wrong]], which Mamiya learns more or less.

* AdultFear:
** What happens to [[spoiler: Richard and Susan's children.]] That when you're too far away to help, your children will be lost and taken from you.
*** For Amelia, that your love and care won't protect them when you've lost them.
** For Yasujiro, the idea that his daughter may kill herself at any moment due to the trauma she's faced and issues she's presently dealing with.
** For Richard and Susan, as well as their tour group, the almost-crippling fear and confusion that comes with something terrible happening to you when you're in a foreign country.
** There's also Abdullah and his youngest son, Yussef, watching [[spoiler: his oldest son Ahmed, family who they love, get shot multiple times in a stand-off because of their actions and is unable to prevent him from dying]].

''Babel'' won a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobeAward for Best Motion Picture – Drama and received several UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for both Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza, winning for Best Original Score.

* BittersweetEnding: In Amelia's plotline, [[spoiler:Amelia is arrested by the Border Patrol, and is deported back to Mexico despite living in America for 16 years because she is an illegal immigrant. The two kids of the Jones family will probably be scarred for life after being forced in a chase from border patrol and almost dying in the desert, and she'll never see them again. Just as thing's seem bleak for her, Amelia's son comes to pick her up when she arrives in Mexico and presumably takes her to live with him and his wife, meaning that she'll be okay more or less as she'll be returning to loved ones]].

** The audience is treated, first with a view of Chieko's pantiless crotch, and later a full frontal shot of her naked body, but, given the context, the scenes are devoid of titillating overtones.

* OscarBait: Oh, boy. All the contained acting, the angsty storylines, and the intercultural poverty or whatever. Classic Oscar favorites, all of them.

* MultipleEndings: Most of the characters' fates are left unknown, however, their arcs do have a conclusion:
** In the Morocco plotline, [[spoiler:Yussef and Ahmed are cornered by police. Ahmed ends up getting shot twice (possibly fatally) and Yussef surrenders himself to police custody; [[DownerEnding the family is shattered and will probably all be severely punished along with Hassan due to seriousness of their actions and the turmoil it caused between the USA and Morroco]].]]
** In Amelia's plotline, [[spoiler:Amelia is arrested by the Border Patrol, [[BittersweetEnding and is deported back to Mexico despite living in America for 16 years because she is an illegal immigrant. The two kids of the Jones family will probably be scarred for life after being forced in a chase from border patrol and almost dying in the desert, and she'll never see them again. Just as thing's seem bleak for her, Amelia's son comes to pick her up when she arrives in Mexico and presumably takes her to live with him and his wife, meaning that she'll be okay more or less as she'll be returning to loved ones]].]]
** In Richard and Susan's plotline, [[spoiler: Despite everything that made it seem like Debbie was killed by Yussef during their vacation in Morroco, [[SurprisinglyHappyEnding they pull through it all and its shown on a TV screen at a Japanese bar that she left the hospital alive]], with signs of their relationship improving for the better as shown throughout the arc.]]
** In the Wataya plotline, after Mamiya's departure and questioning regarding [[spoiler:the rifle Yasujiro gave Hassan, the latter heads back to his apartment only to find his daughter, Chieko, getting ready to jump from the very spot she thought her mother did due to the amount of anguish from the incident in Morroco combined with her personal issues. [[AmbiguousEnding While her father's intervention prevented her from killing herself, its unknown of what becomes of Yasujiro and his daughter at this point]].]]

* OneSceneWonder: Clifton Gonzales Gonzales really stands out as the Border Patrol Agent.

* OneSceneWOnder: Clifton Gonzales Gonzales really stands out as the Border Patrol Agent.

* TraumaButton: Downplayed; While he remains composed, Yasujiro does ''not'' like to be reminded of how [[spoiler:how his wife comitted suicide and the fact that Chieko saw it happen, especially if they get the story about ''how'' it happened wrong]], which Mamiya learns more or less.

** Also, the almost crippling fear and confusion that comes with something terrible happening to you when you're in a foreign country.
** There's also Abdullah and his youngest son, Yussef, seeing [[spoiler: his oldest son Ahmed get shot multiple times in a stand-off and is unable to prevent him from dying]].

** In the Morocco plotline, [[spoiler:Yussef and Ahmed are cornered by police. [[DownerEnding Ahmed ends up getting shot twice (possibly fatally) and Yussef surrenders himself to police custody; the family is shattered and will probably all be severely punished along with Hassan due to seriousness of their actions and the turmoil it caused between the USA and Morroco]].]]
** In Amelia's plotline, [[spoiler:Amelia is arrested by the Border Patrol because she is an illegal immigrant, [[BittersweetEnding and is deported back to Mexico despite living in America for 16 years. The two kids of the Jones family will probably be scarred for life after being forced in a chase from border patrol and almost dying in the desert, and she'll never see them again. Just as thing's seem bleak for her, Amelia's son comes to pick her up when she arrives in Mexico and presumably takes her to live with him and his wife, meaning that she'll be okay more or less as she'll be returning to loved ones]].]]

* TraumaButton: Downplayed; While he remains composed, Yasujiro does ''not'' like to be reminded of how [[spoiler:how his wife died, especially if they get the story about ''how'' it happened wrong]], which Mamiya learns more or less.

* TraumaButton: Downplayed; While he remains composed, Yasujiro does ''not'' like to be reminded of how [[spoiler:how his wife died, especially if they get the story about ''how'' it happened wrong]]. which Mamiya learns more or less.

* AnachronicOrder: The events all start with Hassan giving the rifle to Ahmed and Yussef, the shooting of Susan and her eventual hospitalization, and then Amelia's departure to Mexico as well as what goes on with Yasujiro and Cheiko. Despite that, the arcs of Amelia and the Wataya family (Yasujiro and Cheiko) are shown early on in the film between the Morrocan and Richard/Susan's arc despite taking place after it.

** In the Morocco plotline, [[spoiler: Yussef and Ahmed are cornered by police. [[DownerEndingAhmed ends up getting shot twice (possibly fatally) and Yussef surrenders himself to police custody; the family is shattered and will probably all be severely punished along with Hassan due to seriousness of their actions and the turmoil it caused between the USA and Morroco]].]]

** In Richard and Susan's plotline, [[spoiler:[[SurprisinglyHappyEnding Despite everything that made it seem like Debbie was killed by Yussef, they pull through it all and its shown on a TV screen at a Japanese bar that she left the hospital alive]], with signs of their relationship improving for the better.]]

* AnachronicOrder: The events all start with Hassan giving the rifle to Ahmed and Yussef, the shooting of Susan and her eventual hospitalization, and then Amelia's departure to Mexico as well as what goes on with Yasujiro and Cheiko. Despite that, the arcs of Ameilia and the Wataya family (Yasujiro and Cheiko) are shown early on in the film between the Morrocan and Richard/Susan's arc despite taking place after it.

** In the Morocco plotline, [[spoiler:[[DownerEnding Yussef and Ahmed are cornered by police. Ahmed ends up getting shot twice (possibly fatally) and Yussef surrenders himself to police custody, and their family is shattered with no signs of recovery due to the seriousness of their actions]].]]
** In Amelia's plotline, [[spoiler:Amelia is arrested by the Border Patrol because she is an illegal immigrant, [[BittersweetEnding and is deported back to Mexico despite living in America for 16 years, and the two kids of the Jones family will no doubtedly be scarred for life after being forced in a chase from border patrol and almost dying in the desert. Just as thing's seem bleak for her, Amelia's son comes to pick her up when she arrives in Mexico and presumably takes her to live with him and his wife]].]]

** In the Wataya plotline, after Mamiya's departure and questioning regarding [[spoiler:the rifle Yasujiro gave Hassan, the latter heads back to his apartment only to find his daughter, Chieko, getting ready to jump from the very spot she thought her mother did. [[AmbiguousEnding While her father's intervention prevented her from killing herself, its unknown of what becomes of Yasujiro and his daughter at this point]].]]

* InMediasRes: [[spoiler: The plots do not parallel exactly in terms of time. By the time the story with the nanny begins, Susan has already been brought to the hospital.]]