Review: Babygirl

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Official Synopsis: A high-powered CEO, Romy (Nicole Kidman) puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern, Samuel. (Harris Dickinson)

Happy New Year! I'm kicking 2025 off with a film I've been thinking about a LOT since seeing it earlier this week. Babygirl, while marketed as an erotic thriller is NOT a thriller at all. We need to become more comfortable with calling something an "erotic drama." Despite the stakes that Romy and Samuel find themselves in, you can tell that this is going to be a different approach in the hands of director Halina Reijn. 

First, the fact that this has a female director is everything. Nothing feels gratuitous and all the places you would expect this film to go, it doesn't. There's a point where one character blackmails another, and their threat was...kind of progressive? I loved it. 

This is really less about what *could* happen to Romy if her affair with Samuel is found out, and more about her discovering her sexuality. Something she's been deeply ashamed of, thinking her kinks are different. She's too afraid at times to ask for what she really wants. When Samuel seems to get her, while not easy at first it eventually becomes very eye opening for both of them. It's all in the details. We hear Romy fake a high pitched orgasm with her husband (played by Antoino Banderas) and when she actually has one with Samuel, it's almost an animalistic groan. I never felt like I was judging Romy for this affair, I was just happy she was figuring her needs out.

Even the ending is not what you'd expect. I love how this chose to be about working through issues and self discovery above all else. And the soundtrack is absolutely killer. Easily one of my favorite scores of the year, and I've been listening to it nonstop all week. This is film I find myself liking more and more then longer I sit with it. My only complaint is that I wanted to know a bit more about Samuel's side of things too. The little he lets us know of his state is so intriguing.

Grade: A-

Comments

  1. thevoid99January 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM

    I did see some clips of Nic naked (still looks GREAT) as I do want to see because I am a naughty naughty boy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM

      lmao, there's not a ton of nudity in it, surprisingly.

      Delete

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