Romy (Nicole Kidman) jeopardizes her marriage to Jacob (Banderas) and her position as a tech CEO when her secret desires are fulfilled by a new intern at her firm, Samuel (Dickinson).
Nicole Kidman has never been an actor who avoids risk. For every trademark in her body of work, be it Bewitched or Moulin Rouge!, Birth or Dogville: films that delve into the dark depths of humanity, often to extremes. Baby Girl may not linger in those shadowy corners for long, but it’s nonetheless a reminder of Kidman’s daring choices and no-holds-barred approach to performance.
In the film, directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Halina Regan (who made 2022’s best Gen-Z murder-mystery Bodies Bodies), Kidman plays high-powered tech executive Romy, whom we meet immediately in the final stages of a sexual relationship with her husband of nearly 20 years, Jacob (Antonio Banderas). Moments later, she sneaks into another part of her family home and secretly loads up on the blazing glow of submissive porn on her laptop.
By day, Romy works as the respected, freshly Botoxed face of her New York-based robotics company. She has everything to lose in every aspect of her life, and goes to great lengths to keep it from happening. That is until she meets Harris Dickinson’s anorak-clad and dashing Samuel, who immediately sees a woman as incomplete in his new boss. It would be easy and expected for writer-director Regan to send the pair down a slippery slope into madness, boiled rabbits and harsh, dated morality. Instead, she weaves a far more complex and affecting tapestry of desire, power and, surprisingly, humor.
Alongside Kidman, Dickinson is impeccable. As Samuel, he brings a spirited but calm presence with a slow half-smile, and sets off Romy’s ever-changing moods with a mix of joy, defiance and vulnerability. Only a little information is offered about their previous lives – he was raised in cults and communes, he describes himself as a cuckoo’s chick, causing chaos in places where he doesn’t belong – but it’s enough to prove that neither was born to be in the world they operate in today. It’s a shared connection that captures a sexual dance so raw and joyous and beautiful (especially a shot of Kidman’s hair flying underwater in a swimming pool) that you find yourself hoping it won’t end.
Babygirl is a 2023 drama film directed by Michal Vinik. The film stars Vicky Krieps as an older woman named Yona, who is caught in a complicated emotional and romantic entanglement with a much younger man, named Yaara (played by Shira Haas). The movie touches on themes of desire, power dynamics, and the often uncomfortable nature of relationships that blur boundaries.
The film’s slow-burn storytelling delves into issues of attraction, vulnerability, and self-discovery, with a lot of tension and exploration between the characters, particularly around the societal judgment they face.
Critics have praised the performances, particularly from Vicky Krieps, who brings a nuanced portrayal of Yona’s character—a woman who is both assertive and emotionally conflicted. Shira Haas (known for her role in Unorthodox) delivers a delicate portrayal of a younger woman, navigating both her own evolving desires and the emotional complexity of the situation.
While the narrative has sparked debates on its exploration of age, power, and intimacy, Babygirl stands out for its examination of human connection and the shifting dynamics that can occur between individuals from different walks of life.
Overall, if you’re interested in introspective, emotionally driven films, Babygirl offers a layered exploration of relationships and self-awareness. Would you be interested in watching it?
Of course, the film’s direction changes as the stakes rise, but by breaking away from genre conventions, Reign promises something fresh and delivers. Banderas is key here, portraying a pillar of patience and sincerity that evokes empathy but never at the expense of Romy’s journey. And what a journey it is, one that pushes Kidman’s sensibilities to their limits, sometimes stripping her down and causing her entire body to writhe and crawl, recoil and waver. Through gentle and compassionate filmmaking, we see a woman at her most alive.
An exploration of physical desire that is at once intensely erotic, nuanced, and fiercely funny, in which Kidman accuses transgression, exposes flaws, and takes on everything that the region throws her way.