Babel...is well meaning, but goes on and on.

Babel is thought-provoking without being to dogmatic. It makes a commendable attempt at tackling complex issues, such as 1) we are ALL connected more closely than we can ever imagine, and 2) cause & effect…for every action there is a equal & opposite reaction. This is a story about 4 families seemingly leading separate lives, that tragically careen into one another.

It begins with Brad Pitt (Richard) & Cate Blanchett (Susan), a married couple vacationing in Morocco. While taking a day trip on a guided tour bus through the desert, with stops in small villages, Susan is inexplicably shot. Far off in Tokyo, there is a Japanese businessman at wits end, trying to deal with his troubled & distraught daughter, while in the mist of mourning his wife’s death. Even further away, in America is a devoted nanny (Matyelok Gibbs), and despite having made plans in advance with her employer to travel to Mexico for her son’s wedding, she is unexpectedly stuck babysitting. Faced with a tough situation, she tries to do both with the help of her nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal). And finally, back in the mountains of Morocco, is a goat farming family, who acquired a rifle from a neighbor for purposes of hunting. The children in the family get inquisitive & careless, by aimlessly firing shots off. To frighten to admit their mischievous acts, they try to hide their behavior. As the film moves along, its apparent these families are on a collision course of some sort. There is a great deal to digest with Babel, almost a tad to much; in addition, there are many unresolved storylines, its long, and convoluted, yet admirable. The recommendation is NO GO, and will probably make for a better DVD experience. (142 minutes, R)