Babylon (2022)

Kernel Score: 83% · 3,672 ratings · Rated R

Genres: Drama, Comedy

Released: 2022-12-22

Runtime: 189 minutes

Is Babylon worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Damien Chazelle's three-hour plunge into Hollywood's silent-to-sound change is wild, excessive and often thrilling, but also bloated and uneven. Some find it a bold epic; others find it exhausting.

Watch it if you

  • love films about film-making
  • like big, noisy, ambitious cinema
  • enjoy Margot Robbie and Diego Calva

Skip it if you

  • dislike excess and crude humour
  • want a tight story

Best for: Big, loud movie night

Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.

Where to watch Babylon

  • Stream: Hulu, Paramount+
  • Rent: JustWatch TV Free, Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play
  • Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

US availability, updated 2026-10-22.

Overview

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters in an era of unbridled decadence and depravity during Hollywood's transition from silent films to sound films in the late 1920s.

Babylon parents' guide: ages 15+

Parents need to know that Babylon is an R-rated drama depicting Hollywood's decadent excess with drug use, orgies, alcoholism, and sexual content.

  • Violence & scariness: Some — Contains chaotic, sometimes brutal scenes tied to the debauched Hollywood lifestyle depicted.
  • Sex, romance & nudity: Strong — Features an orgy and explicit sexual content as part of its portrait of 1920s Hollywood excess.
  • Drinking, drugs & smoking: Intense — Extensive cocaine use, alcoholism, and champagne-fueled excess run throughout the film.

Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.

Movies like Babylon

If you liked Babylon, these are the movies we'd watch next.

  • Boogie Nights (1997) — 85%: A sprawling, wild ensemble about an industry's rise and fall.
  • Singin' in the Rain (1952) — 89%: The classic musical about the move to sound films.
  • The Artist (2011) — 83%: A loving look at the silent-to-sound change.
  • La La Land (2016) — 90%: Chazelle's gentler, more romantic tribute to show business.
  • Casino (1995) — 89%: Excess, ambition and downfall in a big epic.
  • Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019) — 83%: A love letter to old Hollywood with a mix of humour and menace.

Director

Damien Chazelle

Cast

  • Diego Calva as Manny Torres
  • Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy
  • Brad Pitt as Jack Conrad
  • Jovan Adepo as Sidney Palmer
  • Jean Smart as Elinor St. John
  • J.C. Currais as Truck Driver
  • Jimmy Ortega as Elephant Wrangler
  • Marcos A. Ferraez as Police Officer
  • Shane Powers as Dale
  • Phoebe Tonkin as Jane Thornton

Babylon FAQ

Is Babylon worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Damien Chazelle's three-hour plunge into Hollywood's silent-to-sound change is wild, excessive and often thrilling, but also bloated and uneven. Some find it a bold epic; others find it exhausting.

Where can I watch Babylon?

In the US you can stream Babylon on Hulu and Paramount+ and rent it from JustWatch TV Free, Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play.

Is Babylon OK for kids?

Babylon is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Babylon is an R-rated drama depicting Hollywood's decadent excess with drug use, orgies, alcoholism, and sexual content.

What movies are like Babylon?

If you liked Babylon, try Boogie Nights, Singin' in the Rain, The Artist and La La Land.