BABYGIRL

This pulpy, erotic feminist thriller bites off more than it can chew.

Imagine these two parallel scenarios unfolding: In one, a wife reveals her sexual desires to her shocked husband, though she has yet to act on them. In the other, she comes clean about her extramarital affair with her much younger colleague while they are in the midst of sex.

Nicole Kidman’s Babygirl bears a spiritual resemblance to the 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut, in which she starred alongside Tom Cruise. The film was written, directed, and produced by the visionary Stanley Kubrick, while Babygirl is written and directed by Halina Reijn. Perhaps the key difference lies in the male and female gaze, with Eyes Wide Shut exploring desire and power from a male perspective, while Babygirl offers a more intimate, female-driven exploration of sexual fulfillment and self-discovery.

Nicole Kidman plays Romy Mathis, an ambitious CEO in New York City. A driven and successful professional, she is also a devoted wife to Jacob (Antonio Banderas) and a loving mother to the couple’s children. Despite her achievements, she feels a sense of dissatisfaction in her sex life and yearns for the perfect orgasm.

Romy is the CEO of a robotics company, which could be interpreted as a metaphor suggesting that women are often treated as machines—valued only for sexual satisfaction and mechanical tasks.

Alternatively, it might hint at the idea that women could eventually replace men with robots for their own pleasure. (Or perhaps I'm overanalyzing it as a film critic.)

Life takes an unexpected turn when Romy narrowly escapes a dog attack, only to be saved by a young man named Samuel (Harris Dickinson). It turns out Samuel is an intern at Romy's company and selects her as his "mentor" through their mentorship program. He boldly proposes they have an affair, claiming he holds power in their relationship and could get her fired with a single phone call. Although initially hesitant, Romy embarks on an intense affair with Samuel and finally experiences the intense orgasm she had longed for. Elated yet filled with shame, she feels guilty and cries herself to sleep.

Romy is furious and makes it clear that her family is off-limits. Overwhelmed with emotions, Romy confesses to her husband that she is dissatisfied with their sex life and wants to experience an orgasm with him.

Meanwhile, Romy continues her affair with Samuel, who disregards their boundaries and shows up unannounced at Romy's daughter’s birthday party with Esme, Romy's secretary and Samuel's actual girlfriend. Esme, aware of Romy's affair with Samuel, uses this knowledge to blackmail her, demanding a promotion in exchange for silence. Faced with this pressure, Romy decides to confess to her husband, Jacob. She reveals her infidelity and acknowledges her intense sexual desires, but omits specific details.

With their daughter Isabel's support, Romy and Jacob start working on fixing their marriage and intimacy, focusing on rebuilding trust and reconnecting. At work, Romy learns of Samuel's sudden transfer to Japan. She pretends to be unaware of the reasons behind it and continues her professional life as if nothing has changed. Romy and Jacob successfully rekindle their sexual relationship. They recreate a specific sexual act that Romy had previously attempted with Samuel, but this time, with Jacob, she experiences the fulfilling orgasm she had always yearned for. 

As a viewer, it left me feeling confused and frustrated, much like the experience of being denied an orgasm by an intimate partner. As a woman, I could sense the thought and intention behind the film, but it was clear that while it had good intentions, the message was unclear and the execution fell short. The film bills itself as an erotic thriller, but in my opinion, it fails to fully explore either the "erotic" or "thriller" elements in a way that truly captivates the audience.

While the plot has potential and the screenplay keeps things steady with suspense, there’s much more that could have been done to draw the viewer in. The characters aren't developed enough. When did Romy and Jacob’s marriage begin to deteriorate? What exactly were Samuel’s intentions when he continued to violate Romy’s boundaries? Why was Esme accepting of Samuel’s affair with her boss? Did Samuel and Esme plan to blackmail Romy for their own professional gain?

A great film always delivers its intentions, themes, and message clearly, without leaving the audience second-guessing or confused. Babygirl aimed to tackle complex subjects like marriage, a woman's sexual needs, workplace power dynamics, motherhood, sex and liberation, and the challenges women face with aging, but ultimately, it misses the mark in delivering a cohesive and compelling narrative.

The club scene stood out as my favorite. It was arguably the best-written and performed sequence in the film. However, even Kidman’s standout performance can't salvage what had the potential to be either a dark, gripping erotic thriller or a thought-provoking film exploring a woman's sexual needs and skewed workplace dynamics.

Antonio Banderas and Harris Dickinson, while good, weren't given enough interesting material to really shine. Samuel’s character was my favorite. He exuded a sneaky, opportunistic energy, and I wish the writer-director had explored Harris Dickinson's character more or used him differently.

Samuel saves Romy from the dog and then initiates a dominant sexual relationship with her. He treats her like a pet, even making her lick milk from a bowl. Samuel's use of "babygirl" for Romy, a Gen-Z term of endearment, wasn’t just a sweet nickname; it was a subtle form of control, similar to how a man might be called "daddy" in a sexual context to assert dominance. The dog attack, too, seemed more than a random event. It appeared to be a way to condition Romy, much like Pavlov’s dogs, creating an association between certain emotions and Samuel.

While there was so much opportunity and a lot to explore, Babygirl ultimately disappoints, much like an unfulfilled climax that hints at satisfaction but never quite delivers.

Babygirl is now streaming on Prime Video.