Babylon
Kino Lorber | Release Date: March 8, 2019 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
80
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesWesley MorrisMar 9, 2019
All of that observation in Babylon amounts to something that still feels new. You’re looking at people who, in 1980 England, were, at last, being properly, seriously seen. Read full review
90
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMar 6, 2019
An English cousin to the earlier Jamaica-set films "The Harder They Come" and "Rockers" that is vastly superior in cinematic terms and just as valuable as a cultural document. Read full review
90
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)Mar 5, 2019
Like the reggae music that pulses through it, Babylon is rich, rough and real. And like the streetlife of the young black Londoners it portrays, it’s threatening, touching, violent and funny. This one seems to explode in the gut with a powerful mix of pain and pleasure. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleMar 14, 2019
The cast’s rumble and spark are draw enough, but there’s also Chris Menges’ textured urban cinematography and Rosso’s empathetic direction, like neorealism rewired and amplified. Read full review
80
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)Mar 5, 2019
Although the script runs out of steam by the end, the sharp use of location, the meticulous detailing of black culture, the uniformly excellent performances and stimulating soundtrack command attention. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerApr 3, 2019
Babylon's cultural specificity is what gives it power, putting it as much in a tradition of British alienated youth movies like Brighton Rock and Quadrophenia (not coincidentally written by Babylon scriptwriter Martin Stellman). Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreMar 5, 2019
Babylon brims over with life in ways that few films of recent vintage could manage, a movie-moment that remembers when “One Love” was enough to end any argument and calm any troubled waters. Read full review
70
TheWrapCandice FrederickMar 5, 2019
The lead performances are so genuine and the dialogue, with tones ranging from unbridled glee to utter hatred, is so pure that you think at times that you’re watching a documentary. Babylon is a vivid, though flawed, story that offers no clear villains or angels. Instead, it gives you the truth. Read full review
50
The PlaylistJonathan ChristianMar 7, 2019
In short, Babylon is bland and sadly, should be much better. Read full review
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