As she steps inside the moderately-lit hotel room, Romy analyzes the choice she is about to make. While she isn’t fully satisfied with her marriage, is beginning an affair with a handsome, significantly younger intern the best way to awaken the desires she’s been fighting so hard to hide? Is this who she wants to be? She peers around the room and takes a moment to look over the bed. Suddenly, the door opens and a tall, blonde man walks into the room. For a single moment, everything is still and feelings of anxiety and tension begin to set in. Out in the world, Romy is a wife, mother, mentor and CEO. But in this room, unbeknownst to anyone outside of these four walls, Romy is simply a Babygirl.
Written, directed and produced by Halina Reijn, Babygirl creates a judgement-free environment to ignite conversations surrounding female sexuality. Starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde, this film brings together a star-studded cast to tell a steamy story on the big screen. Babygirl had its world premiere at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, leading to Kidman taking home the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. The film also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Romy (Kidman), the CEO of her own warehouse automation company, is able to take control of almost everything in her life. She has a loving family with her husband, Jacob (Banderas), and two daughters, a supportive group of friends and co-workers, and is able to brilliantly run a successful self-made business. But, there is one aspect of her life that Romy has yet to conquer; her desires. When Samuel (Dickinson), a new intern at her company, begins nudging his way into her life, Romy faces a battle of morality versus passion. Samuel quickly makes his attraction towards Romy known and it is now up to her whether she’ll allow her impulses to take control of her newfound connection with the young, inviting co-worker.
Babygirl certainly reaches its goal of breaking down the wall that stands between women and allowing themselves to give in to their deepest desires. Kidman’s portrayal of this powerful female character is brave and done with great passion, which is what allows this film to feel so raw through the screen. Viewers can easily detect Romy going through an array of emotional alterations throughout this film, proving that this situation is far from idyllic. This is not the picture-perfect romantic comedy, or a whirlwind fantasy affair, but a wonderfully imperfect story about self-discovery and the shame that is tied to female sexuality. Kidman is raw and honest in her depiction of Romy’s experiences and her openness surely allows this character to come across as relatable, to whichever scale that may be, to each viewer. Babygirl is provocative and delivers a fresh look into the world of female lust.
Dickinson and Banderas play two distinctly different roles, both of which are played with intention and care. Dickinson’s character requires him to be vulnerable and desirable, which he excels at. He is both charming and cold at just the right moments, which allows audience members to understand the struggles from each side of this affair. Banderas’ portrayal of a husband who shows great concern for his family is welcomed, offering the third perspective of this story.
This film does begin to feel repetitive once it reaches the halfway point. Kidman and Dickinson’s characters flip back and forth between physical encounters and trying to establish the grounds on which this relationship stands. When Samuel tries to insert himself into Romy’s family life, she takes a firm stand against it. Conflicts like this arise on multiple occasions throughout the film, and while this offers viewers a realistic glimpse into how this flawed connection might unfold in the real world, it also creates a tedious cycle throughout the last half of the film.
While this story does explore deep, dark desires and specific scenarios that not everyone may be able to relate with, the general theme and message is widely understood. It is not until the film delves deeper into the repercussions of Romy’s actions that this movie becomes slightly too far-fetched. There is a lack of consequences that come for her character as her relationship with Samuel becomes more prominent in her life. Though a few connections begin to unravel, Romy seemingly comes out of this film scot-free, which doesn’t quite align with the events that take place towards the end of Babygirl.
Reijn’s latest film is nothing short of steamy, thrilling and refreshing for female audience members. There is an undeniable understanding for how Romy is feeling when this story begins, as feelings of discomfort and embarrassment with female sexuality is unfortunately something that is both not spoken about enough or fought against.
Babygirl will have its theatrical release by A24 on December 25.
