How far can you go to unleash your deepest desires without betraying who you are? How do you cross the boundaries you set for yourself, cross them, but never reach the point of self-betrayal? If you were in power, would you be willing to give up that power, even temporarily? These are fundamental questions that need to be realized, dealt with, and fully understood before you take your next breath. As for “Babygirl,” it challenges your patience as a viewer: Will you stick around until the end or leave before it’s over? Not because it’s indecisive, but because it’s so special that it transcends the movie screen and takes time to fully comprehend.
Romy (Nicole Kidman) is a formidable CEO, leader and role model everyone respects. At home, she is the devoted wife of Jacob (Antonio Banderas), who loves her dearly and they have two adorable adult children. Deep down, however, Romy is a woman driven by an insatiable sexual desire—a desire that transcends her understanding and known limits. When she meets the much younger intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson), she veers off the expected path and becomes trapped in a relentless spiral of sexual desire. At work, she is commanding and powerful, but with Samuel she becomes powerless and submissive, a woman consumed by her need to please him and her own—until the line between ordinary and extraordinary risks collides .
The film begins with Romy and Jacob passionately making love. As he drifted off to sleep, she slipped away—not to send emails, but to visit porn sites to satisfy her own needs. After nearly being run over by a large dog on her way to work, she meets her soon-to-be intern Samuel, who calmly subdues the animal. There was an undeniable spark from their first encounter. However, Samuel soon reveals himself to be a dominating man who looks to Romy to fulfill his every whim. When she asked him how he calmed the dog, he replied: “I gave her a biscuit.” She asked, “Is this what you always carry with you?” He replied: “Why? Do you want some?” The reference to the dog is a thread throughout the story, capturing how a powerful woman is metaphorically kneeled down to drink milk from a cup like a tamed dog. This symbolism and more will make it possible. You feel nervous – you have to be prepared to face this certainty.
To delve too deeply into the film would be to spoil its unsettling brilliance. It’s high praise that writer-director Halina Reijn has crafted one of the most disturbing and provocative films of the year. By the time you get to the movie’s midpoint, you’ll find yourself longing for it to be over. Why? Because Romy walks a fine line, risking emotional, psychological, and physical harm to liberate herself sexually and explore her heart’s wildest fantasies. When her power is taken away, she is reduced to the object of her desire to be, enjoying every moment as if her life depends on it.
As for the performance, Nicole Kidman delivers a stunning portrayal of a woman who will stop at nothing to fulfill her darkest desires, no matter the cost. She gives in to Samuel’s every whim, and as a viewer you may find yourself pleading with her to stop and not degrade herself further. But what seems depraved to us is liberating to her. Killman deftly navigates the character and transcends the point of no return, embodying Romy in a way that only Nicole Killmon can. I’ve seen countless movies, but none of them made me feel as uncomfortable and horrified as “Baby Girl.” Antonio Banderas and Harris Dickinson are both great, but make no mistake – this is Nicole Kidman’s movie and the performance is exceptional.
Baby Girl is a film that takes courage—not just to tell the story, but to depict it. It challenges the concept of power and the willingness to relinquish it and liberate oneself from fear and restraint. It shows that true power will not yield unless given a choice. Every act you witness is consensual, but what happens when consent is manipulated and weaponized into a vulnerability? The final scene is unforgettable – defining Romy as a strong, intelligent woman at the top of her world. The reason she’s so powerful is that you need to be prepared because it’s going to unfold in the most shocking ways you can imagine.
