Babel is four stories taking place on three continents. But Babel is one story taking place everywhere and everyday
Those stories respond to, bounce of, echo to each other like a dialog that struggle to get through. This "crossing stories" narrative technique is not innovative (Altman, Lelouch
). However in Babel it is efficiently and brilliantly used as it provides the cement to a complex dynamic and gives a sense of progressions to the overall plot. I can easily understand why Alejandro González Inárritu (21 grams) won the Cannes prize for the best "mise en scène" as the narrative is fully mastered, the editing is pristine and the overall direction is detailed and to the point. Every single actor (known or less known) serve a flawless scenario and an unquestionable demonstration on our inability to communicate, and our ability to build obstacles so we are sure we don't look further than what we know of each other
Fueled with sometimes crude emotions and very strong images, Babel succeeds in bringing closure to the four stories by triggering in our heart the one emotion that counts
sincerity
