Babel (2006)

Babel (2006), a psychological drama, was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga. This multi-narrative film features an ensemble cast and interweaves stories set in Morocco, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. It is an international co-production between companies from the US, Mexico, and France, completing Arriaga and Iñárritu’s Death Trilogy that also includes Amores perros (2000) and 21 Grams (2003). The film is not edited in chronological order but instead has four distinct storylines centered around different locations.

Morocco. In a Moroccan desert, Abdullah, a goatherder, purchases a .270 Winchester M70 rifle and accompanying ammunition from his neighbor Hassan Ibrahim in an effort to protect his goats from jackals. He then entrusts the rifle to his two young sons, Yussef and Ahmed, who take on the task of herding the goats. Curious about its capabilities, they test the rifle’s range by aiming at various targets such as rocks and a moving car on the highway. Eventually, they unintentionally hit a bus carrying Western tourists, injuring American traveler Susan Jones while on vacation with her husband Richard. Realizing their mistake, the boys flee the scene and hide the rifle in the nearby hills.

Richard/Susan. American couple Richard and Susan were on holiday in Morocco when tragedy struck. While on a tour bus, Susan was shot, causing Richard to urgently instruct the driver to head to the nearby village of Tazarine. The other vacationers waited for some time, but eventually decided to leave due to concerns about the heat and potential further attacks. Despite Richard’s instructions for them to wait for an ambulance, which unfortunately never arrived, the bus departed without them. Remaining behind with the bus’s tour guide, the couple continued to wait for assistance in reaching a hospital. Eventually, a helicopter appeared and flew Richard and Susan to a hospital in Casablanca where she is expected to make a full recovery.

United States/Mexico. Amelia, the Mexican nanny for Richard and Susan’s children in San Diego, California, was faced with a challenge when she learned of Susan’s injury. With no one else available to care for Debbie and Mike, Amelia was forced to extend her stay and was concerned about missing her son’s wedding. She reached out to Richard for guidance, but ultimately decided to take the children with her to the wedding, located in a rural community near Tijuana, Mexico. However, instead of staying overnight in Mexico, Amelia chose to drive back to the US with her nephew Santiago. Unfortunately, Santiago had been consuming alcohol and caught the attention of border guards due to himself and the presence of American children in the car.

Japan. Chieko Wataya is a deaf and non-verbal teenage girl who has a rebellious streak. She often feels self-conscious and unhappy due to her disability. While spending time with her friends, she becomes smitten with a teenage boy, but unfortunately, their interaction does not go well. During a dental appointment, she attempts to kiss the dentist, resulting in her being asked to leave. Later on, two detectives approach Chieko and inquire about her father. Feeling intrigued by one of the detectives, Kenji Mamiya, she invites him to her high-rise apartment where she lives with her father. However, Chieko mistakenly believes that the detectives are investigating her father’s potential involvement in her mother’s death.