Babylon

The Roaring Twenties have never felt louder than in Babylon, an epic spectacle so lavish and lurid and extravagant and disgusting that it must be seen to be believed.

However, that’s not intended to condemn this outrageous satire of Hollywood excess from director Damien Chazelle (La La Land), which finds the Oscar-winning filmmaker trying to outdo himself and everyone else, too.

The highly entertaining film embraces the over-the-top opulence of a burgeoning 1920s movie industry awash in depravity and scandal, while also skillfully weaving in a more grounded character-driven tale of transition and personal struggle.

After all, the most significant technological advancement in cinematic history might be one we take for granted. It’s been almost a century since silent films gave way to the wonders of sound.

That time of seismic shift and radical transformation provides the flamboyant backdrop for the intertwined stories of multiple characters adapting to cultural changes and industry demands.

They include aging screen star Jack (Brad Pitt), who enjoys the party lifestyle and isn’t eager to evolve with the times; playfully alluring starlet Nellie (Margot Robbie), trying to parlay her sex appeal into a breakthrough; and Mexican immigrant Manny (Diego Calva), a low-level assistant with aspirations behind the camera.

Coasting for a while on sheer audacity, the film isn’t for the prudish, most notably in a first-minute shocker that dares you to look away. The elaborate set pieces are frenetic and visually dazzling, especially a jaw-dropping opening party sequence.

There are some big laughs, often at the expense of its self-absorbed, social-climbing snobs, with everybody craving a spotlight defined by money, power, sex, and public image. Amid all the unscrupulous greed and reckless impulses, Manny functions as our window into this world as a fellow outsider.

But after settling down, Chazelle’s uneven screenplay peels away its glamorous layers to generate hard-earned sympathy for characters — apparently based on a composites of talent from the era, and certain to invite speculation from film historians — trying to navigate a time when the movies first became an industry of fame and fortune, and when dwindling popularity felt like a death sentence.

The trio of lead portrayals each find depth and complexity, although the supporting ensemble is equally strong. Scene-stealers include Jean Smart as a world-weary gossip columnist and Tobey Maguire as an impetuous mobster.

As it explores the fickle nature of celebrity and the commodification of performers, the episodic film also touches on prejudice, misogyny, class division and exploitation.

Beneath the shallow and superficial surface, Babylon is a tale of big dreamers and the magic of movies, reflecting a genuine affection for a bygone era of show business pioneers. It’s just more rambunctious than romanticized.

Rated R, 188 minutes.