Get exactly what you want this Christmas with Babygirl.
I really didn’t realize how long overdue we were for a grounded, erotic thriller until I saw Babygirl recently and believe me – there is a lot to like with this one. The story follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), a high powered CEO, engages in an affair with a young intern (Harris Dickinson) at her company, putting her life and career on the line. While there aren’t any insane twists and turns in the movie, it still manages to be one of the best films of the year, period.
Nicole Kidman is absolutely electrifying in her role as Romy. She captivates the screen with her facial expressions and clear want/need for her sexual fantasies to come true even if they catastrophic consequences. And to take it one step further, Kidman’s performance here is an awards-worthy performance. Her chemistry with Harris Dickinson (who is also fantastic in the film) is incredible and they both do a great job of being likable even though we know what they are doing is scandalous.
There is something so interesting about a power struggle dynamic with characters in a story like this. You have a powerful female CEO who desperately wants to explore domination and being told what to do – things she would never even think of asking her husband to do. It brings up interesting ideas with relationships and marriages, how communication is vital, and that certain exploration (while not morally right) can spark new life into what seems stale or bumpy. Babygirl has a lot more to say than what you’d think it would be on the surface (or what the trailers have led us to believe).
Performances aside, Babygirl is a very well written script. The pacing is fantastic and there is little-to-no filler in the film. It does a good job feeling relatable and wrong simultaneously, while offering a thought provoking take on BDSM and exploration. It feels like a more grounded and better executed Fifty Shades of Grey. The directing is clear and concise as well, making for a fascinating watch that will generate water cooler-type discussions for those in relationships.
Babygirl is one of the best movies of 2024 and is worth checking out in theaters. This is not one that you won’t to sleep on thanks to Nicole Kidman’s electrifying performance and the film, overall, being a very spicy watch. It is essentially a movie about knowing what you want and how to control it, for better or worse. Go into it with an open mind and knowing as little as possible, it’ll make even better.
RATING: ★★★★1/2
(out of five stars)