Babygirl is an erotic thriller that explores interesting questions and ideas, but doesn’t get the most out of its potential. It’s a film that simply works as a great showcase for Nicole Kidman’s admirable acting ability – and not much else.
Kidman plays Romy, a powerful CEO who is in a stale marriage with Jacob, played by Antonio Banderas. Romy is strong and intimidating in the world of business and far from ethical.
Samuel is a new intern working under her, played by Harris Dickinson, who quickly tries to seduce her. Dickinson’s performance takes a while to feel authentic. It could be because he’s acting opposite Kidman, whose performance is much more believable, but he eventually turns in a compelling delivery.
The obvious hook here is that despite being so powerful in the workplace, Romy’s unsatisfied desires make her susceptible to advances from someone she’s attracted to, even if he’s a subordinate. Romy gives in eventually, and they start an affair. The power dynamics are on on display here, and while Romy says she’s at fault because she’s his boss, Samuel argues that he holds all the chips because he can destroy her career and family by revealing the affair.
Director and writer Helina Rejin has developed a reputation for making interesting, subversive films. That, combined with the fact that the renowned studio A24 is behind this, made me think Babygirl had more going on beneath the surface. It’s a fine film, but comes off as a lot more “Hollywood” than one might expect. Depicting a story like this from the female perspective adds potential to what the film could say about the possible juxtaposition between Romy’s status as CEO in her work life and a submissive partner in her sex life.
That’s where the movie shows more flash than substance. It doesn’t come off as exploratory and thought-provoking as the premise and talent suggest. Kidman’s stellar and balanced performance somewhat alleviates those shortcomings, but the film lacks bite overall. I can see this as a polarizing film because different people will view it through very different lenses.
The tension and titillation keep the film interesting. The ending isn’t as much of a trainwreck as other erotic thrillers, but I’m sure the intention here is to make it more realistic. The focus is more on exploring Romy’s character, why she is the way she is, and the power dynamics at play. Babygirl isn’t a bad movie, but it doesn’t measure up to the usual standards of A24.
Author Bio:
Ulises Duenas is a senior writer and film critic at Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine