“Babygirl” is frank about the issues it wants to put forward. There’s no guile here. Kidman is glorious as Romy
Still from Babygirl
Film: Babygirl
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Esther-Rose
McGregor, Sophie Wilde, Vaughan Reilly, Victor Slezak, Leslie Silva
Director: Halina Reijn
Rating: 3.5/4
Runtime: 115 min
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Halina Rejin’s erotic thriller focuses on a woman’s desire. It unapologetically talks about a high-powered woman CEO’s uncontrollable sexual desire for a much younger intern that puts her career and family on the line.
Romy and her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) have sex, and they appear to be satisfied. But then we see Romy sneak down the hallway to watch porn in the bathroom, and then follow it up with masturbation. We know then that at least she is not satisfied with marital sex.
Romy is CEO of a company, Jacob is a theatre director rehearsing a production of Hedda Gabler. We first see Samuel (Harris Dickinson) on a crowded city sidewalk, taking control of a dog that has gone off his leash, while Romy is walking by. Later in the day, we see him as part of the cluster of interns brought into her office. He is not subservient to her. He looks at her rather boldly. His attitude is not what she is expecting.
Then Samuel is called for a one-on-one interaction. He is intuitive enough to know that Romy is not the person she is projecting herself to be. He suddenly throws out an observation that he thinks she likes to be told what to do. It’s a shocking moment for Romy and she knows he is right. All her defenses fall flat. Soon, she becomes addicted to what Samuel makes her feel despite being at war with her impulses. Consent is not an issue here. Both are explicit about their consent. Romy’s motivations are dealt with in passing. But that’s ok. It’s not important for us to understand why. The purpose here is to show sexual desire as kosher.
“Babygirl” is frank about the issues it wants to put forward. There’s no guile here. Kidman is glorious as Romy. Her fevered state is a sight to behold. Harris Dickinson is a revelation. He portrays Samuel with just the right demeanor. It’s a very tricky part and his performance really gives Kidman a lot to work with. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing middle-aged Romy with uninhibited psychological acuity.
Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s score creates the right mood with songs like INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” and George Michael’s “Father Figure.” The symphonic background lures you in gently. The cinematography is expressive enough to keep you rooted in the byplay. “Babygirl” is sexy, dark and tense and keeps you on your toes with its mesmerizing take on sexual need.
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