Rating: 2/5
Synopsis:
A combination of Halina Reijn and A24 almost certainly leads to a film off the beaten path. We get that with “Babygirl”, centering around a high powered female CEO who has become bored in her personal and sex life. She meets a young intern who quickly makes advances on her. They begin an affair, where her normally powerful demeanor is subdued to be the submissive type. She puts her family and her career in jeopardy in order to regain the excitement in her life. Will this pay off? Or will the consequences be dire?
Positives:
I was never drawn to the premise of this movie. But I decided to check it out since I had an extra AMC pass for the week. “Babygirl” has some skill behind the camera for sure. Director Halina Reijn knows how to create atmosphere during a scene. When intensity is needed, we get it. When tension is needed, we get it. That is true throughout the story as certain scenes require a specific mood in order to maintain seriousness. Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson both commit to the premise, which would have appeared even sillier without them. They both commit to some unsettling moments that would never be shared on screen unless it’s in a film like this. Credit to them for taking such risky roles and adding something challenging to their resume.
Negatives:
Unfortunately, “Babygirl” is one of those films that fulfilled the questionable elements of the plot I was worried about. I didn’t enjoy the premise at all, where jeopardizing a stable and loving relationship for a steamy fling is encouraged. Movies like this seem to be more prominent now, where sexual promiscuity and infidelity are more mainstream in film. The film presents such ideas in a way that romanticizes large age gaps and unfaithfulness in the name of sexual freedom. There are so many ideas within the premise that I found icky, especially one of putting family in jeopardy. But the filmmakers also give Kidman’s daughter in the film a similar dilemma, where her partner is unknowingly being cheated on for a fling that’s “just for fun”. For me, this is a film I won’t revisit due to the attempted normalization of encouraging sexual liberation through deceit and manipulation.
Not only is the premise gross, but the execution is surprisingly poor. There are a handful of dialogue exchanges that are downright laughable. They feel rushed and improperly set up, eliciting a few out loud chuckles from myself. The affair begins very quickly and doesn’t seem organic to what each character was feeling at the time. Each dialogue exchange between Kidman and Dickinson feels awkward and forced. They didn’t seem to have a natural chemistry, at least with the way their characters are portrayed. Dickinson’s character isn’t given much insight so his role in the events feels less important. We at least get to understand Kidman’s perspective and how she got roped into such a dilemma. The steamy sex scenes are also executed in a clunky way. They aren’t as intoxicating as the premise would lead audiences to believe. They lack intensity, instead favoring the wonky exchanges they have to establish sexual dominance over one another. Even the goofy premise can’t be executed properly, yikes!
Conclusion:
“Babygirl” is one of those movies that fulfills the negative connotations attached to it. Everyone involved with the film has done better work as the execution of the story is reminiscent of driving over potholes. You’ll get where you’re going but the drive is bumpy and uncomfortable. The erotic premise doesn’t capitalize on what it promised viewers. I generally find stories like this off putting and the material wasn’t strong enough to win me over. There are plenty of other films that are worthy of checking out before awards season but “Babygirl” isn’t one of them. It’s a hard skip from me.
