Babies Movie Review

“Babies” takes viewers into the unique and different lives of four international infants from birth until two years of age. Beginning from Mongolia down to the busy streets of Tokyo to the Namibian desert and finally to San Francisco, director Thomas Balmes provides a glimpse on the development of little Bayar, Mari, Ponijao, and Hattie. Viewers would observe these kids grow physically right in front of their eyes, develop one-of-a-kind personalities, and blend in with their individual cultures. The idea of seeing how these little ones are loved so much by their families is a refreshing alternative to typical Hollywood films.

Balmes captures amazing images of babies that are rarely seen elsewhere. His technique is a combination of close-ups and long shots of the babies on their own allowing him to capture strikingly cute scenarios of these lovable little ones. Aside from giving an insight into the secret lives of babies that are not typically seen from day-to-day, the film also showcases the undying love for children worldwide as well as the diversity in cultures across the globe. Balmes deserves praise for the tremendous effort he placed into creating this collection. Despite given only limited hours to work with, he made the most out of his time with the children.

However though the film is already a work of art on its own, it could have hit the homerun if an interesting story was added. Noticeable, there’s no unifying principle revolving on the background. The babies are simply seen passing through the portal of time. The majority use of images and sounds works on one side of the spectrum but most of the time it doesn’t making the only 79 minute movie seem long. Meanwhile, the absence of “narration” and the original dialogue with no translation allows the viewers to take a closer look on the non-verbal stars. This gives off a more realistic feel as viewers are taken right on location to become an active observer.