From the opening few minutes, Babygirl shows you that this movie is going to take you to places that might be uncomfortable for some people. Nicole Kidman’s character, Romy, is a high-powered CEO who, while seeming to have a perfect life, is missing something. Babygirl shows us how dynamics in relationships can lead to either pleasure or pain for those involved.
As previously stated, the movie starts with Romy and her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) in the middle of having sex. After the act is done, Romy goes to another room in the house and brings herself to climax while watching porn. Even though she just had sex with her husband, she is not fulfilled and goes elsewhere to satisfy herself.
The following day on her way to work Romy is almost attacked by a dog and is saved by a young man, Samuel, (Harris Dickinson). This young man turns out to be one of the new interns at her company and there is something about him that draws Romy in.
The flirtatious interactions between the two move ahead with Samuel’s bluntness in pursuing Romy. He shows that he is taking the lead and tells her where to be and what to do. Their first time they are alone feels awkward for Romy as she is used to being the one giving orders. This entire scene makes the audience feel uneasy, like Romy, because you know what is happening is wrong but you want to see how it plays out.
The game of cat and mouse is played throughout the movie and we see the two stealing intimate moments here and there. Samuel’s boldness takes a drastic turn during one moment when he crosses a line that should not have been crossed. At this moment the power shifts to Romy but it is also hindering her ability to think clearly. One wrong move and Romy cannot only ruin her life but also ruin her career.
Nicole Kidman perfectly balances her choices in Babygirl and makes you want to take chances with her but also question her decisions. Harris Dickinson, fresh from The Iron Claw, smolders his way on the screen with charisma and confidence that makes you question what power he has over Romy. Antonio Banderas has one of the smaller roles in this movie but packs a punch in a certain scene that makes you wish he had more screen time.
Final Thoughts: Babygirl shows how the dynamics in relationships shift in power. What starts as a casual fling turns into something that can disrupt everyone’s lives with major consequences.
Kid-Friendly: This movie is not kid-friendly due to the sexual scenes in the movie. The theme of how the power shifts in relationships may be a good topic of conversation with older kids but this is not a movie for kids under 17.
Violence: There is a fight between a few characters in the movie.
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.