Last Updated on September 30, 2024 by
Babygirl is a 2024 Movie written and directed by Halina Reijn. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, and Antonio Banderas, with a runtime of 1h 54M, and will be released on December 25, 2024.
Halina Reijn, a Dutch actress who transitioned to director, broke through two years ago with the film Bodies Bodies Bodies, which is a horror-comedy where the horror aspects are intertwined with humor, showcasing some of the best rising Hollywood stars. Though the film produced by A24 gained popularity and people enjoyed the comedic role of Rachel Sennott the most, many of them believe that Reijn’s direction is the gem of the movie or even more important than the script. Now, she’s back with Babygirl, her first full-length feature in English, which she also penned and helmed. In this film, Reijn proves that she has what it takes to be a great storyteller.
Babygirl focuses on Romina Mathis, a glamorous, high-flying businesswoman (Nicole Kidman) who appears to have the ideal lifestyle. She has a caring family, beautiful houses in the city and the suburbs, and a business of her own being a head of a robotics company. However, like any human being, Romy is not without problems in her life at some point. One of the casualties is her relationship with her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), a passionate theatre director. Now, their intimacy is boring and routine, and Romy is not content with such a presence in her life. She uses porn to get the fulfillment that she needs and this is not always wrong, but where her love life with Jacob is concerned, she has not been honest with herself or with him; she pretends to be happy while in fact, she is not and avoids any serious discussions about it. This means that Romy’s husband is also unhappy and the status quo persists wherein neither Romy nor her husband has genuine happiness.
The change begins when Romy starts working with an intern at her company, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). It is for this very reason that Romy finds herself drawn to Samuel whom she describes to be ‘a charming boy’ with an air of mystery about him and it is evident that Samuel is not fooled by the strong woman that Romy wants to portray in an male dominant world. Romy is aware that involvement with Samuel can cause problems and yet his presence becomes harder for her to resist. It is a passionate love that begins right from the first moment they meet, even the simplest exchange of a word or a glance gives Romy the butterflies. It is also apparent that Samuel is something exciting for Romy, who has started finding her life way too mundane.
Suspense arises when Romy’s assistant Esme, played by Sophie Wilde, places her in a mentorship program with Samuel. Romy cannot avoid being alone with Samuel anymore because he has become her mentee and she selected him herself. Romy attempts to maintain a professional demeanor but must resist Samuel’s advances, though she desires to capitulate to his advances.
As it is, she succumbs to temptation and initiates a steamy affair with Samuel in secret. However, there is not much development in the character of Samuel, and although the story reveals both Samuel and Romy’s desire for something more in their lives, the two have good chemistry. Samuel assists Romy in dismantling the emotional barriers that she put up, leaving her feeling merely understood and empowered as she has never felt before. He, in return, provides her with what her marriage is lacking and fulfills her needs.
After a hot streak in Expats, A Family Affair, and The Perfect Couple, Nicole Kidman delivered a top-notch performance in Babygirl. She makes Romy very tender and real that watching her on the screen feels like watching a part of her life being played out. Due to Kidman’s performance, the audience can see what goes on inside Romy’s head and how she loses touch with reality especially as she develops a passion for Samuel. Another talented young actor who also deserves mention for his performance is Harris Dickinson of The Iron Claw and Triangle of Sadness. His character is calm and self-assured, which creates a stark contrast to Romy’s state of emotional turmoil as she struggles to define her life’s purpose.
Both Kidman and Dickinson have a natural chemistry on film and this is evident in the movie. Electrifying chemistry is between them, based on passion without expectations of a future together. This highlights one of the key themes of Babygirl: lust and the difficulties that the female personality encounters in the matter of the recognition and possession of self-will. In many cases, women and their sexual desires are left unaddressed, whether it is in the movie or real life. But even when such territories are unearthed, one gets the feeling that the revelation is forced and not very natural. Halina Reijn’s Babygirl does not flinch from this, tracing Romy’s meandering, often disorienting process as she struggles to know who she is, what she wants from partners, and what she wants for herself sexually. Of course, Romy is an interesting character, and her choices are far from perfect, but they still resemble real-life people’s actions.
Unlike other movies, which depict age differences in relationships or office affairs, Babygirl is more profound. It is also not your run-of-the-mill erotic thriller movie. Also, the power relations between Romy and Samuel intensify all the time, which makes the stakes seem even higher. Therefore, just like in real life where the outcome is unknown, amidst the scorching sex scene, one cannot begin to imagine how the lives of all the characters will be impacted by the events that unfold in the final scenes of the film. One of the most essential aspects of the movie is the score composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer, who also worked on The White Lotus. His music is jazzy, dark, and atmospheric, with a voice that ranges from whispered to scream, perfect for the narrative.
All in all, Babygirl is a glossy and sexy psychological drama that is unapologetic about tackling subject matter such as the dark side of human nature and flaws of characters. In ‘The Obsession’, Halina Reijn introduces herself as a daring filmmaker ready to pose uncomfortable questions about the relations between love, lust, and power.
Babygirl 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
Babygirl is rated R by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for strong sexual content, nudity and language.
Babygirl MOVIE PLOT FULL SUMMARY and parents’ guide will be updated closer to the release date (December 25, 2024.), so check back
