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The concept of an older woman getting involved with a younger man is nothing new in cinema. That being said, with the majority of films depicting affairs showing the age difference the other way around, it's no wonder that the very notion feels somewhat controversial. Whether it's The Graduate, The Piano Teacher or The Boy Next Door, these are movies that automatically have intrigue built into them, simply because of their basic premise. But with Babygirl, Bodies Bodies Bodies director Halina Reijn is following up her 2022 horror comedy with an erotic thriller that legitimately justifies its taboo reputation, thanks to a career-best performance from Nicole Kidman. The CEO and founder of Tensile, a high-tech company focused on automating warehouse order fulfilment, Romy Mathis (Kidman) seems like your average corporate female leader. When it comes to her preferences in the bedroom, however, Romy is anything but ordinary. Having spent most of her childhood growing up in a cult, she's developed an insatiable appetite for unconventional sexual behavior and a penchant for taking unnecessary risks. So when one of her company's new interns, Samuel (Harris Dickinson), exhibits an interest in being more than just her mentee, it marks the beginning of a forbidden affair that will see Romy risking both her career and her family just to satisfy her most secret cravings. A man a couple decades her junior who takes pleasure in playing the dominant role in he and Romy's illicit relationship, Samuel isn't just an innocent victim of sexual harassment either. But when the situation escalates to the point where Romy's personal assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde), starts calling her out on her inappropriate conduct, Will Romy take heed? Or will she continue with her self-destructive behavior until her husband (Antonio Banderas) has no choice but to step in? Suffice to say, fans of such erotic thrillers as Basic Instinct, Wild Things and Eyes Wide Shut will find no shortage of steamy subject matter to indulge in with Babygirl. What resonates the most about Reijn's third directorial feature, though, is Kidman's portrayal of a woman who's both vulnerable yet also determined to assert her own brand of control with regards to her own sexual satisfaction. It's the type of characterization that audiences don't get to see a lot of, especially considering the male-centric perspectives that dominate the genre. And for that reason alone, that makes the result quite the tempting cinematic fling indeed. |
Babygirl screens under the Special Presentations programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 54 min.
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