The Plot: Romy (Nicole Kidman) seems to have it all. She’s the CEO of a successful tech company, has a loving husband in Jacob (Antonio Banderas) and two daughters that look up to her as a role model. Despite all that, something is missing and she needs to be re-awakened to discover it. She draws the attentive eye of intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson), who doesn’t think twice about mixing business with pleasure. They have a torrid affair, with boundaries pushed and more than a few lines crossed…
The Verdict: Babygirl is certainly something and has been making waves in the film industry to the point where Nicole Kidman recently scored a Golden Globe nomination. It’s the kind of film that could only have come out of a post-#MeToo environment, given that it tackles the thorny subject of workplace relationships that become inappropriate and highly risky… but with its own particular twist in that consent is something that’s discussed between the parties. It also puts sex back on the screen – something that Halina Reijn, the Dutch director of Bodies Bodies Bodies, was keen to do. She makes that clear enough in the opening scene, establishing a sexually frustrated Romy with her husband Jacob and then returning to that later on for a different perspective.
The catalyst here is a younger man, Samuel, who doesn’t hold back on saying what’s on his mind and wants to have some consensual fun with Romy. Samuel perceives that Romy likes to be told what to do, despite being the boss and well above his station. Romy holds back but gives in, resisting and yet falling for Samuel’s anything-goes attitude versus her tightly-wound approach to life. What begins is an odd sort of power play between them, shifting from one foot to the other and keeping audiences on their toes as to exactly where this is all heading. This has all the signs of a clever, well-thought out script by Heijn and that much is evident in the way that the film doesn’t bow down to convention or feel the need to compromise with a judgmental approach to affairs and the inevitable damage they cause. This is a film that deals with consent and then moves on to pursue its own agenda.
There’s something rather reassuring about watching Kidman skirt around the sharp edges of challenging material that sees her on all fours like a dog, but still retain her composure, dignity and grace as Romy takes back the power she surrendered to Jacob. This is the kind of role that requires an actor to submerge into the character and still come to the surface without gasping for air. Kidman is an expert at playing multi-layered characters that breathe easily in panicky situations, peeling back each layer to reveal another aspect that wasn’t initially apparent. For his part, Dickinson more than holds his own against Kidman and continues his solid run of work (Triangle Of Sadness, Scrapper, The Iron Claw) that showcases his growing range as an actor. Antonio Banderas could have ended up with the thankless task of being the offended party, but he too gets his moment to shine that positions his character in an unexpected way.
Babygirl is undoubtedly a provocative, adult film which has somehow slipped through with a 16 cert given the mature themes at work… and yet there’s a sly, dark undercurrent of humour throughout that lightens it at the right moments. It does what any good film should do – entertain, provoke and get people talking afterwards. Whereas Bodies Bodies Bodies was only partly successful, Babygirl is a more assured follow-up that sees Reijn in full control and full force, backed up by an excellent, fearless Kidman. It’ll be interesting to see what the talented Reijn has in store next.
Rating: 4 / 5
Review by Gareth O’Connor
In short: Darkly humourous
Directed by Halina Reijn.
Starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde.