Baby Girl 2024

Directed by Halina Reijn
Starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, and Antonio Banderas

A Bold Exploration of Power, Desire, and Control

Nicole Kidman stars as Romy, a high-powered CEO who risks her career and family in a provocative exploration of dominance, submission, and the human yearning for connection. Directed by Halina Reijn, Babygirl is a daring psychological drama that intertwines themes of ambition, repression, and liberation, set against the glimmering yet claustrophobic backdrop of New York's corporate elite.

The story unfolds during the seemingly endless Christmas season, with Romy juggling her roles as a meticulous businesswoman, devoted mother, and conflicted wife to her puzzled husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas). At first glance, Romy’s life appears seamless, but cracks quickly emerge. In an encounter that feels fateful, Romy meets Samuel (Harris Dickinson), a bold, enigmatic intern who awakens desires she has long suppressed. Their escalating relationship, marked by a shift in power dynamics, becomes a central axis for exploring the boundaries of personal and professional identity.

Halina Reijn, best known for Bodies Bodies Bodies, brings a sharp visual style and a narrative richness that deepens the story beyond its surface sensuality. The film’s precise attention to detail—whether in Romy’s glossy appearance or the sterile perfection of her office—mirrors the protagonist's tightly controlled life. Reijn’s direction is both intimate and expansive, using soft lighting, evocative montage sequences, and subtle symbolism to depict the shifting power play between Romy and Samuel.

Nicole Kidman delivers a fearless performance, dismantling her character's polished exterior to reveal a raw vulnerability. Her portrayal of Romy—by turns commanding, conflicted, and yearning—pushes the film into uncharted emotional territory. Kidman’s chemistry with Dickinson, whose youthful intensity is tempered by a quiet dominance, keeps the narrative charged with tension. Antonio Banderas, as Jacob, offers a poignant counterbalance, embodying a man grappling with the erosion of his once-stable relationship.

While Babygirl delves into adult themes with unabashed candor, its focus extends beyond eroticism to examine power structures, gender roles, and the nature of control. The result is a story as much about liberation as it is about entrapment—a complex interplay of desires and fears that resonate on both intimate and societal levels.

Rating: R (for mature themes, explicit sexuality, and language)
Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes