It was time to watch Babygirl (2024), after all I'm a Nicole Kidman fan, most recently watching lover her performance on the TV SeriesLioness with Zoe Zaldaña, based on what I had seen from the trailers this is a drama series I wanted to watch with my wife reason why I wait for the proper time. We both were expecting a straightforward erotic theme movie and it exceeded our expectations been something more complex and even a bit confusing like they were trying too hard but still had a blast considering drama movies like this don't get too high scores most of the time, in my opinion probably a genre that doesn't have that many fans. For me the waiting was worth it, my wife and I had a great time, the movie is funny and does the hole affair story that gives us both mix flashbacks of Fifty Shades of Gray, between all the domination topic.
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The movie is very straightforward as I mention, we got Romy; played by Nicole Kidman, having sex with her husband Jacob; played by Antonio Banderas, to set the tone right, so from the start you get an erotic scene in your face like "lets make this clear", at this point in time they still appear to be ok with each other, meaning they mutually satisfy each other but latter on she sneak away to watch porn and finish herself in private, this scene both made us laugh hard and be amaze that this is the kind of movies that brings up part of the reality that happens now days even with women. Romy has way more sexual desire that her husband that she is not getting fulfilled despite having a great life both at home and at her job but not in bed. The movie is not shy and doesn't waste time with showing us how perfect their marriage is before introducing us to the chaos and complications, something I really enjoy about it.
Romy is the CEO of a robotics company that develops automation systems for warehouses, essentially creating technology that replaces human workers to put it in simple words, while her husband Jacob is a theater director working on a production of Hedda Gabler. Their professional lives themself are a great contrast to each other, one been a more passive and creative person while the other is straight into the shark tank every day having to compete and be on top of things to outperform others in the tech industry, for example Romy is all about control and efficiency, while Jacob deals in human emotion and drama.
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Now here comes trouble, there is this new intern at Romy's tech company, his name is Samuel but the movie makes them officially met outside of the office and Samuel waste no time in showing his charisma to Romy, at the moment they met he was calming down an unleash dog outside of the building on the side walk. Romy latter discovers this same man, Samuel; played by Harris Dickinson, is one of her company's new interns. They had this one on one session like any other company, weird because she was the CEO and he just an intern but this man took his guns out and came up with a comment so awkward and boldly that would get anyone fired but essentially told Romy she is the type of woman that likes to be told what to do, I was like WHAT!!!! this guy owns her. From that moment Samuel unlocks Romy, at first she would try to keep it professional but she just can't deny it, you can tell how much she love it. From here the movie turn a bit predictable to be honest but its evident that this would turn into an addiction to the forbidden relationship between Romy and Samuel.
As a Nicole Kidman fan I got to say she did awesome on this movie been sexy and the dominated one role on the relationship play out just great, a women at war with her own desires, who for a long time have not told her husband how she really feels until she just couldn't hold her desires anymore, problem is that once she opens up jajajaja to all this situation she had kept hidden from everyone she does because of the wrong reasons and situations, she even once told her husband but didn't get the right reaction and answers from him, she basically wanted him to put her down and pull her hair type of reaction. Romy was the crazy one, naughty, Samuel was just directing the boat, there is one scene where she goes from submission and resistance at a hotel and I think this is the result of her been captive of all this desires, her emotions and face expressions were remarkable during this scene.
SourceHarris Dickinson as Samuel is equally awesome in a role that could have easily fallen flat as I mention it look like he was just at the wheel but not really directing the course, instead he did facilitate the right circumstances for everything to unfold, he was the spark in a fine line between being confidently dominant and slightly uncertain, occasionally letting his role slip to reveal that he might be faking some of his dominance almost like he is running out of ideas but improvising his way through providing everything she wanted. Antonio Banderas obviously will make you feel sad for the guy, he brings warmth and genuine affection to Jacob, making him more than just the clueless husband. There's a particularly heartbreaking scene where Romy attempts to ask him for what she needs sexually but can't bring herself to do it without hiding her face under her shirt, there is contrast between her shame with Jacob and her freedom with Samuel like there were walls she has built within her marriage.
The ending of the movie rather than been completely dramatic in the traditional sense of a fight between Jacob, Samuel and Romy actually turn out to be a message where Romy has to deal with the consequences of all the damage she has caused to her family and herself, going farther than that she has now to learn how to find a way to integrate the different parts of herself that she has kept separated from everything else. The ending doesn't necessarily provide an easy answer or say moral judgment, something a bit different but still predictable, after all the drama and laughs I got out from the movie I was OK with it. Towards the end Romy is not fully liberated or unlock from her desires but does seem more of a normal thing for her, like she have probably mentally evolve.
In the end for me and my wife Babygirl is the classic affair theme but with its own personal twist and touch, at least this time the woman is not shy of admitting that what she wants is way more than the conventional sexual life and she wants it within her marriage is just that might seem so embarrassing for her and besides she was expecting her husband to receive the message and take action on it. The performances, particularly Kidman's lift up the movie, instead of falling into exploitation or melodrama, its not a groundbreaking erotic drama but it does offer an interesting angle on desire, power and the thoughts we ALL sometimes keep hidden from our partner, either you are married or just together with someone. The movie can be consider a bit open minded so when going to watch it do not limit yourself just to the straightforward Basic Instinct (1992), I think this is more than just that. Yes the movie is awkward that will make you cringe sometimes but it works on its favor, there is the very interesting side of sexuality exploration and identity, definitely something worth watching, reason I give it a 7/10.
