Babygirl Movie Review

Babygirl (2024)

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Written by: Halina Reijn
Directed by: Halina Reijn
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern.

Verdict
This movie is a drum that plays one note for two hours. We don't get a why or any insight into characters. This takes the idea for a steamy romance but fails to build or develop it. The characters exist for the plot, and the plot is an unequal power dynamic. This movie could have been interesting if there was more to it. Is this relationship the beginning or end? With this film, it's the whole story.
Skip it.

Review
The first scene lets you know what this is about. Few movies earn an R rating so quickly.

CEO of a robotics company, Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman), is intrigued by intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson). He's bold, talking to her directly which probably doesn't happen often. You wouldn't think an intern would be so confident. He exists more for the plot than to be a full fledged character.

Harris Dickinson, Nicole Kidman play Samuel, Romy Mathis

We're already seen Romy has an unfulfilled marriage. She's interested in the intern, but that seems more of living out a fantasy. I could never figure out his play. He's taking a bold leap. Is it just attraction? Does he like holding power over the CEO? If it's a power trip, that seems like an ill-fated plan. She likes the power imbalance, the unfamiliar territory.

I assume this is supposed to be steamy, but I could never figure out the angle. She's dissatisfied, but what is he after? What's his game? This movie is empty. It has this one card to play, and nearly all of their interactions are variations on this dynamic in play or them discussing it. How can he so easily disarm her? Is she just giving in to her fantasy? She's afraid of what could happen if found out and rightly so, but she has more connections than he does. She could make his life very difficult.

Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson play Romy Mathis, Samuel

Is the voice over at the end supposed to save this movie by providing some insight and meaning? This seems like someone wanted to turn a fantasy into a movie. Instead of creating a story around it, the fantasy unfortunately is the entire movie. This could be the beginning of a broader relationship or the end of one or both of their careers. That or just one big mistake. None of that happens. Nothing happens.