Babygirl

Grade: C+

Babygirl’s writer/director, Halina Reijn, previously directed Bodies Bodies Bodies – a movie from two years ago that I admire very much, and watched again recently. She has talent behind the camera, and I hope she continues directing, with a different writer. Babygirl is Reijn’s screenplay, and it’s a strange, pretentious word salad. I understood every word that was spoken, but not so much the combination in which they were used. When I wasn’t saying “what?” (expressing confusion about a line someone just said), I was saying “what the hell?” (expressing confoundment at the plot’s events occurring).

There was a running theme in the movies this year – that of aging women who are trying to prove their relevance, or think they need to. Nicole Kidman in Babygirl definitely made me think of Amy Adams in Nightbitch and Demi Moore in The Substance. Kidman plays Romy, a high-powered CEO. I’m not sure what exactly the company does, but it’s something to do with automated robotic shelf-stockers. She is apparently doing very well, as her family has both an apartment in the city, and a sprawling house in the country with a heated pool.

She and her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) seem to love each other, but there’s a problem that’s been on Romy’s mind: in all their years, she has never been able to have an orgasm with him. After their time together, she often slips away to another room, and puts on some of her favorite videos. The person who, it turns out, CAN fulfill that need for her is Samuel (Harris Dickinson), a new intern.

They begin having an affair. Their scenes together have some of the weirdest dialogue I have ever heard. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s as if they were told to improv, with the prompt being “avant-garde.” At the risk of sounding like a creep, for a movie billed for being sexy in its audacity, I feel they played it safe with the nudity. It’s certainly not on the same level as Emma Stone in Poor Things or Helen Hunt in The Sessions. 

As things ebb and flow, I enjoyed a scene that involved another employee who tells Romy she knows about her and Samuel, but “don’t worry. I don’t want to take you down. I want to keep you in your position.” The reasons why are some of Babygirl’s strongest parts. Kidman looks great and is still one of the best in the business. The deservedly prolific Dickinson does what he can despite being saddled with some of the clunkiest lines ever spoken. Banderas has sprouted a bit of a dad bod, but has aged well and is effective here.

Eventually, I grew to understand what the final scene meant, but I’m afraid its execution may lead to unintended laughter. A “WTH” moment. Babygirl looks great, the acting is just fine (often wonderful), but I was ultimately left with a lukewarm feeling. If you see it and feel an obvious emotion, I’m happy for you. I sure didn’t.

Grade: C+