Babygirl

Rating 7/10

Babygirl is being marketed as an erotic thriller, so I was prepared for something more sensational. You know, along the lines of Basic Instinct or Unfaithful but pushing the envelope for 2024. Instead, I got something restrained, funnier than anticipated, and—dare I say it—a bit more cerebral. Babygirl strikes an interesting balance between glossy drama with a sexual twist and a dark satire about power dynamics.

Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, an accomplished New York CEO who is unsatisfied in her sex life with husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas). Seeking an outlet for long-suppressed desires to relinquish power in an otherwise structured existence, Romy begins an affair with a much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). Things grow increasingly problematic. What starts as an empowering exploration of her fantasies quickly spirals into a complicated web of control.

Dutch director Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies) brings a sharp sensibility to the material. Her direction is a nod to the sultry thrillers of the ’80s and ’90s but with a modern spin. There’s more focus on the emotional and psychological fallout than on the eroticism itself. However, the account does lean into steamy episodes, as in an early scene where Romy and Samuel’s flirtation builds during a mentoring session that ends with her kissing him. The sexual tension is palpable, but Reijn veers into the discomfort of their relationship, exploring its murky interpersonal leverage rather than indulging in outright fantasy.

One boundary-breaking moment comes when Samuel shows up unannounced at Romy’s home, throwing her carefully compartmentalized life into danger. The moment is tense, awkward, and oddly reminiscent of the unhinged visit of Glenn Close’s Alex to the family home of Michael Douglas’ Dan in Fatal Attraction. Samuel’s actions are less an overt threat and more the clumsy, youthful attempts of a novice testing limits he doesn’t fully understand. Here, the anxiety lies not in the fear of physical harm but in the crumbling illusion that Romy must supervise every aspect of their fling.

Halina Reijn’s screenplay is flawed. It’s hard not to consider that all of this could have been solved with a conversation. If Romy simply had a frank discussion with husband Jacob about her innermost cravings, this could have been avoided. Ah, but then we wouldn’t have a movie, right? The portrait seems less interested in offering solutions than in portraying the messy, often irrational decisions people make when grappling with their urges.

While Babygirl doesn’t fully explore its themes with the depth they deserve, it is an entertaining ride with just enough intrigue to keep you hooked. Reijn’s slick direction and the strong performances make it worth watching. Nicole Kidman, as always, is magnetic. She brings a vulnerability to Romy, making her more than just a caricature of a woman with a fetish. Harris Dickinson, too, delivers a nuanced performance as Samuel, playing him not as a predatory opportunist but as someone equally lost and searching for validation.

The film occasionally stumbles into silliness, and it’s not as lascivious as the marketing might suggest. The soundtrack’s notable needle drops, which include “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS, veer into parody. Take the interaction where George Michael’s “Father Figure” plays during one of Romy and Samuel’s intimate encounters. The lyrics are so on-the-nose that it teeters toward the absurd. On these occasions, Babygirl straddles the line between serious study and campy satire. Yet it’s all the better for it—both a guilty pleasure and a thoughtful, if imperfect, consideration of human folly.

01-07-25