"Babel" is the third film in a trilogy by collaborators Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu as director and writer Guillermo Arriago. "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams" are the other two Academy Award nominated screen gems created by this duo. All three films overlay events where the lives of various characters intersect. Fans of "Crash" may view "Babel" as less realistic because the connections are global rather than set in one city (LA).

In Morocco, a Muslim father instructs his two sons on the use of a rifle he purchases. In spite of what we might think, we soon learn that the gun is to scare off jackals from attacking their herd of sheep. As curious boys anywhere, these two start target practice on the mountainside. How far can the bullets travel—a rock here, a tree branch there? Then something more interesting comes into view, a tour bus.

An American couple, Richard and Susan (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett), seems set on repairing their ailing marriage and are on vacation, on that bus. Suddenly, the bus is fired on and the woman is shot. Her wound is life threatening and the tour bus goes off the beaten path to seek first aid in a small town that is literally foreign to foreigners. The other passengers are terrified. Richard tries desperately to get his wife taken out by helicopter but he runs into political roadblocks regarding air space. The American government sees what we know is a tragic prank as a terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, in California, a Mexican nanny, Amelia (Adriana Barrazo), who is undocumented, cares for two young children that she’s been with since they were infants. Their parents’ return home has been delayed, but Amelia is due at her son’s wedding in Mexico, only a short ride from San Diego, and when she can’t find anyone reliable to leave the children with, Amelia decides to take them with her across the border. Everyone has a wonderful time, and things are in control, until Amelia’s hot headed nephew (Gael García Bernal of "The Motorcycle Diaries") drives them back to the US. The intensity of this scenario is one of the most difficult to endure in the film.

In Japan, we meet the businessman, Yasujiro (Koji Yakusho of "Memoirs of a Geisha"), who was the original owner of the rifle used in the shooting in Morocco. In a simple act of generosity he gave the gun to his hunting guide in Morocco, who then sold it to the two boys’ father. Yasujiro is a widower with a rebellious teenage daughter, Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi), who is deaf and does not speak. She is also sexually aggressive.

The two live well but they both are distraught about the recent death of Yasujiro’s wife. Dad is quiet, reserved and distant, while Chieko tries to find herself through expressing a mature sexuality with both her peers and the detective sent to investigate the story about the rifle. The entire Japanese sequence is fascinating. It can stand on its own as a film unto itself. Any of the vignettes can in reality. But here the nightclub scene, the encounter between the detective and Chieko, where he has a chance to act as a responsible adult rather than an opportunistic male predator, and later when Chieko confronts her father, all elevate this compelling story well beyond just good film making.

Blanchett proves that her Oscar for "Aviator" was no fluke, and Brad Pitt is the best he’s ever been. The gray hair and lines add character, and a George Clooney touch. In some ways "Babel" is introspective on what’s going on around the world like Clooney’s "Syriana" but without the complexity. There are no small performances here, even for those with little screen time.

How everyday things we do can reverberate around the world is a simple concept yet realistic. Are there flaws in this film? Yes, it is not a clear-cut gem. But it is an example of how an imperfect film may be a masterpiece.

This is easily one of the best films of the year. Don’t miss it.