VENICE, Italy—In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Nicole Kidman said she’s scared to see herself in her new film Babygirl because it is so sexually intimate, with sex scenes that have been described as “radically long.” Kidman isn’t wrong—the sex scenes in Halina Reijn’s film are tremendous in length, and it takes a certain kind of bravery to star in a film like this.
While Babygirl, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is, in fact, tremendously horny, it’s also surprisingly funny—perhaps more of a sex-comedy-thriller than an all-out sexual thriller à la Fatal Attraction. (At one point, it feels as if Babygirl is going in this direction, but it laughs it off and gets back to business).
This is a film about negotiating power dynamics. You hear the sounds of Romy (Nicole Kidman) moaning before you see anything. In the opening scene, Romy has sex with her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas). When they finish, he says “I love you,” a fiery passion in his voice. “Love you,” Romy responds, but there’s a hollowness to her words. Romy slips out of bed and masturbates to pornography in another room. Romy has intense desires her husband cannot fulfill.
Who may be able to satisfy those deepest, darkest desires is Samuel (Harris Dickinson), first seen wrangling a loose dog that nearly attacks Romy—a surprisingly hot meet-cute. Samuel is an intern at Romy’s tech company, of which she’s the high-powered CEO. The two find it increasingly hard to resist one another, and Samuel offers a completely different sexual dynamic that she longs for. Romy is willing to risk her stable family life and the career she’s worked her entire life for to be with Samuel—and even if she tried to fight the attraction, she simply cannot resist him.
Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson
Niko Tavernise/A24Romy is horny, sure, but this is a movie about discovering oneself by figuring out your sexual desires. The sex is steamy and kinky, but it’s also funny and clumsy. It feels precisely what it might look like for two people exploring each other’s boundaries without that inauthentic Hollywood sheen. The dialogue is refreshing in its honesty: In a particularly lengthy sequence, Samuel and Romy meet in a hotel for the first time, and they explore their dynamic with a refreshing forthrightness that feels staggeringly forward, especially in an American film. It probably doesn’t hurt that neither director Reijn (who also wrote the script) nor the principal cast, are from the United States.
The rest of the cast impresses too. Dickinson is convincing as a variation of a f---boy, exhibiting an unflinching confidence that’s downright swoon-worthy; it’s abundantly clear why Romy throws herself recklessly into his arms. Banderas accesses a loving sweetness as a successful theater director and Romy’s husband, growing frustrated with Romy’s commitment to her work and the lack of time they spend together. Sophie Wilde makes an impact as Romy’s assistant who’s hunting for a promotion and uses her insights to get what she wants.
Kidman is an exceptionally committed actor—she’s always willing to do anything for her characters. Whether enduring endless suffering in Dogville or camping it up in Paddington, Kidman’s something of a chameleon, able to transform herself to fit any role. Her work in Babygirl is some of her most daring and electric.
Romy is a complicated woman, and Kidman revels in creating her layers. She’s also intent on tearing them down, as her character goes through a sexual and emotional whirlwind. The film would be a lot less interesting without Kidman’s involvement, and her bravery and vulnerability take Babygirl to spectacular heights.
Admittedly Kidman and Dickinson don’t have great chemistry—but they’re not supposed to. This is a different kind of relationship, unlike the typical Hollywood affair movie we’ve grown accustomed to. Their physical connection is undeniable, but it’s less believable on an emotional level. But again, this works: Samuel represents more of a physical desire than an emotional one. They’re attracted to each other for what they represent, and for the excitement that each provides the other.
Reijn broke out with her blazing Gen Z satire Bodies Bodies Bodies, and while this is a very different story, much of that film’s frenzied energy is present in Babygirl. The film pulsates with excitement as Romy and Samuel get deeper into their partnership, complete with loud pop music and throbbing rhythms. Cinematographer Jasper Wolf turns corporate offices into a lustful playground, complete with wonderfully executed shots of longing gazes across large rooms.
Babygirl is an exhilarating thriller that’s piercingly funny. Its real radicalism comes in its bracingly honest approach to sex, power, and discovering what makes you tick. This is an exploration of uncomfortable truths about relationships, the boundaries within them, and how they can shift throughout your lifetime. The result is nothing short of tremendous, a bold vision of love and sex unwilling to compromise. Babygirl is the kind of movie that makes going to festivals such a thrill—it’s unexpected, shocking, and hilarious. One of the best films of the year.
