Babylon (2019)

Waste of time

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Babylon is a slice of Black British life in London in the late 70s and early 80s and given the Brixton riots of 1981 this film was strangely prescient. The film revolves around racism from police, violence against blacks, poverty and disillusionment and reggae music.Brinsley Forde from the reggae group Aswad and who had also been a child actor is a garage mechanic by day and an underground DJ by night. The film follows him as he loses his job as a mechanic, gets beaten up by police, is falsely charged, and forced to go on the run where he ends up in even more trouble.Along with Forde, you have Mel Smith, Karl Howman, Maggie Steed and Trevor Laird as the better known performers.Whilst Forde's downward spiral is predictable it is well paced film, the footage of London of that time now belongs to another era. The use of music especially reggae music is an important ingredient in the film with famous Black DJs of the era making an appearance in the film.It is low budget and harks back to another era although the message is still valid today. It deals with the issue of black racism. The racism here is open whereas today it might be more covert. Interesting to note that this are not black youths involved in a life of crime but getting by in an inner city during a recession, low paid work by day and their love of music at night.The film by Martin Stellman and Franco Rosso which is rarely shown on British TV is an important document of 1980s British film-making.

Even now after 26 years of the film being released, I can still remember many of the scenes. Me and my brother love to run of the one liners like "Sprat and be d' banker" and "....an I doh wa fi subsidise you..". This film is an absolute classic and I would give my right hand to find this movie on DVD. This is my most memorable film from the 80's and every time I see the white dude doing the Flash adverts, I remember when Beffy did buck him down after he was chatting about the "pure wickedness man...". There wasn't too many films that depicted the racial tensions that existed between blacks and whites living in London during the 80's. I was only ten years old when this was released, but this film is etched firmly in my memory.Big respect to the actors and producers of this film.

Words cannot describe the film. It was accurate in many ways, it was political, the soundtrack was awesome and one of the best films I have ever seen. Saw the file for the first time many years ago when it was screened on Channel Four. Videoed it and saw it many a time after that but unfortunately lost the video. The film was the talking point at college and everybody had the soundtrack, nicknamed themselves after the characters and repeated some of the wicked lines. NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN (and not just to relive my youth). Anybody out there know how to get of a DVD copy or even a video copy? Have got friends searching for me as well but to date no joy.

you dun even CAAAAARRRREE!!!" Hard hitting film about black youths growing up in south london during the 80s, dealing with racism. The scenes where the two white police officers beat up the hero are chilling and brutally realistic. In the 70's black youth embraced rastafari and the movement allowed them to form their own identity and stay united. Brindsley Forbes is excellant, as is the soundtrack by aswad. Check out warrior charge "tune is had like concrete!" DUBPLATE!!! Why is this excellant film not on DVD or video? It has been shown on channel 4 once before and I did have it on tape but lost it.Nowadays the only way to see it is by renting it from some black music/video shops if you can find it. Yes ronnie is the guy from brush strokes. "Fat larry your one crook" "Brixton y'acall dis?" The only OTHER film that has lyrics like this is The Harder They Come. If anyone has this on video can you please contact me so I can get a copy!Cheers!