Babygirl premiered at the Venice Film Festival all the way back in August, so it had been on my radar for a long time when it finally came out in theaters. All I really knew was that it was shocking, off-kilter, and featured a powerhouse performance from Nicole Kidman. Those things all turned out to be true and yet I still didn’t expect the movie to be what it was. I guess I’m still not completely sure what it was. The trailers paint the film as somewhat of a thriller, a high-stakes game, but the actual movie feels a lot more casual. And the tone rides an interesting line. There were plenty of giggles from the audience in the theater but was anything actually funny or was it just nervous laughter during the more uncomfortable moments? I enjoyed the movie, trying to understand what it was saying and looking to achieve, but I know many have also been turned off by the very minimal plot and anti-climactic ending. Could you describe the movie as just close up shots of Nicole Kidman orgasming for 2 hours? Yes, that is technically accurate. But there’s also more if you choose to read deeper. Babygirl is divisive to say the least.

The psychological basis of the movie, and the part I found most fascinating, was the exploration of control and power. The movie follows Romy, a high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman), who puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). It’s not an affair motivated by love. Not even close. It’s not even really an affair motivated by sex. It’s an affair motivated by having an outlet to fulfill deep but taboo needs. Romy is always in control. She is powerful in all spheres of her life to the point where it has become boring. Her company is about automation (robots) – detached, dispassionate, unfeeling. She craves a break in her routine, the danger, the risk, the excitement of the affair. But Samuel isn’t just a distraction. He isn’t intimidated by her power or position. Conversely, he has power over her. And he lauds it. Romy relishes not being the one in charge for once. Having someone speak to her and treat her in a way that no one else will, someone that doesnt see her as a leader or a superior, but just sees her as a person. But the most interesting part of their dynamic was the way Romy continued to push against it throughout their relationship. Samuel very clearly asks for her consent in their actions and she gives it. “If we’re gonna do this, we need to set some rules that you and I both agree on. Starting with I tell you what to do and you do it,” he outlines. She agrees. But then in every encounter, he gives his instructions and she struggles with whether or not to do it. In the end, she always does. Samuel even tells her, “You can say no but you’re gonna do it anyway.” So why fight it every time if it’s what she wants?

To me, I think that’s where the element of shame comes in. Even as a strong, empowered woman, when she’s stripped down to just herself, asking for what you want, wanting what you want, comes with a certain amount of shame. We are taught to feel shame. Women are always striving for perfection and doing whatever it takes to maintain the illusion of perfection. We see many montages of Romy going through rounds and rounds of different cosmetic procedures to keep up appearances. In one scene, Romy is surrounded by all businessmen in an elevator. All people who the world will see as stronger and more powerful and more important than her. In another scene, she’s surrounded by all the young interns in an elevator. All people the world will see as more beautiful and exciting and promising than her. She can’t win. When you’re supposed to have it all together, asking for what you want, breaking out of the cycle, admitting that everything is not good and fine and satisfactory and you want more, can be a really hard thing to do. While all women may not be able to relate to Romy’s specific wants and needs, the shame that is attached to asking for more is universal.

Samuel is an entirely different animal. He’s a man. He’s a young, attractive, tall, white man who walks through the world with that privilege. His motivations for getting involved with Romy are less clear than hers are. Maybe, as a young person, he just wants to feel power. Having the CEO of a massive company be putty in your hands must make Samuel feel good and special. But he’s not a dangerous, power-hungry person. He’s not out to take her down just to lift himself up. Samuel oozes self-assuredness and confidence in a super chill and laid back way. He doesn’t really seem to care about too much at all. He’s kind of aloof and doesn’t take any of this too seriously to the point where he laughs at his own commands sometimes and the absurdity of the situation. This also makes him (mostly) not threatening and makes the whole thing feel more like a roleplay, a fantasy. Meaningless fun for him that unlocks something real for her. 

The editing reflects Romy’s point of view. Most of the film is short, choppy scenes of her going about her day, doing various tasks and appointments and chores. She’s on autopilot in her routine, moving from one hollow endeavor to the next. In comparison, the scenes between just Romy and Samuel are very long and drawn out with no breaks or cuts. She’s able to be fully present and in the moment in these situations. The score for the film is essentially all breath sounds and moans but whenever Romy and Samuel are alone it goes quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. The silence really ratchets up the tension.

Nicole Kidman’s star power is one of the biggest takeaways from this movie. She is 57 years old and still works hard. She’s been in over 80 movies and TV shows throughout her career and is still churning out project after project. But what makes her special is that she doesn’t just rest on her laurels. She continues to take risks and try things and go out of her way to work with female directors and make interesting and important choices. Nicole Kidman loves working and I love her for it. Her performance in this movie has often been described as “brave” and I agree with that assessment. To do what she does in this film, you really have to let go of all inhibition and shame. A star of her caliber wouldn’t typically do something like this at this point in their career. They don’t have to. But seeing someone as famous as Nicole in this role makes it all the more impactful to watch. The power dynamics feel more real. As for Harris Dickinson, there’s not much to say other than he’s one of Hollywood’s up-and-coming “it boys”. He holds his own on screen with Nicole Kidman and all the ladies love him! (Also it is important that I mention the scene of him dancing to *checks notes* George Michael’s “Father Figure” is inspired.)

Babygirl is not a straightforward story. It’s kind of like what Fifty Shades of Grey thought it was doing but without the romance and plus a lot more kink. It’s murky. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be. Because of this, it won’t be for everyone. I don’t know that I’d even necessarily recommend it. I liked it and was entertained watching and do think it explored some intriguing psychological concepts and power dynamics. But I wouldn’t call it a “must watch”. If any of this sounds interesting to you, I would check it out. At the very least you’ll be left with some things to think about… like, is this a Christmas movie?

2025 Count: 2 movies, 0 seasons of television, 0 specials