Babygirl features a phenomenal performance from Nicole Kidman, as well as a powerful message. But don’t go see it with your parents.
You have never seen Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson like this. As the trailer suggests, Babygirl is sexy and provocative. Kidman finds herself captivated by a young intern at work, and because she has been repressing her sexual desires with her husband, she ends up in a twisted, secret relationship.
This movie might not officially be rated “not safe for work”, you definitely do not want to go see it with someone you will feel uncomfortable next to during sex scenes, submissive role play sequences, nudity, and loud orgasms. That said, Babygirl does deliver an interesting message about being open with your partner about what you want sexually, and what feels good to you. It teaches the importance of being honest with your lover, and how that can make or break a relationship.
Antonio Banderas, who plays Kidman’s husband, might not be Babygirl very often, but when he does, he leaves an impact. It is impossible not to feel bad for him. It is clear how much he loves his wife. How much he desires her. And how much he wants to make her happy. There are some truly powerful scenes in which he allows himself to be raw and vulnerable, and Babygirl is all the better for it.
Nicole Kidman delivers one of the best performances of her career – which certainly says a lot. She embraces this role, fully giving herself over to it. There are several scenes where she is meant to be uncomfortable in the situation she is in, and you can feel that tension from the screen. It bleeds through to the audience, and many viewers will likely feel awkward, yet intrigued, as well.
Her chemistry with Harris Dickinson could be cut with a knife. These two such a wonderful job playing their respective parts of a cat and mouse tale that I cannot imagine their real life partners not getting at least a little jealous. This is one of those movies where you almost feel as if you are watching something you should not be watching. That us, as an audience, are being let in on a secret we should know nothing about. That helps to raise the tension in the film, as well.
Babygirl is very well written and offers up dialogue that will have audiences feeling emotionally connected to the characters. Yes, this movie is sexy. But it is more than that. There is a deep exploration of desire and kinks, but also meaningful themes of love, as well.
There is a lot happening here – but in a good way. With the wrong lead actors, Babygirl doesn’t work. Without Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, there is a chance this movie comes off more as something you should watch at home, in your bedroom. But because they fully give themselves over to the roles, they add in the heart and emotion that make Babygirl a great movie.
See for yourself when A24’s Babygirl hits theaters on Christmas Day. Just don’t go with your parents.
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About Babygirl
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.
From writer/director Halina Reijn and starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde.