First, I just need to say, to all the people I spoke with before I saw this movie who told me "This movie is not horny, not hot, not sexy, not interesting, not good, should have gone straight to streaming, or, it was so boring", we are not the same. If you don't find this movie "horny", I honestly have no idea what could possibly capture on-screen sexuality to you outside of straight-up pornography. If this is not a "horny movie" to you, honestly, what is!? What were you expecting from this movie? I am dying to understand. My only thought is that perhaps people who don't understand the psychological basics of S&M don't understand what's going on here???
That aside, I naturally came into Babygirl expecting something "mid" and walked out extremely impressed by what I would consider a flawless film, and definitely a standout in the history of film. Nicole Kidman maintains her status as an absolute queen of delivering complex, provocative characters in erotically charged films that always manage to have just enough separation from one another, yet they are all fully believable as separate fleshed-out individuals (Eyes Wide Shut, and especially To Die For, come to mind first, the latter being one of my favorite movies ever). Noting that, it is INSANELY IMPRESSIVE that relatively new star Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw, etc) could get dropped into a movie this intense and FULLY hold his own with the legend Kidman herself. Dickinson delivers one of the most complex and bizarre characters this year, remaining wholly unpredictable and mysterious in a very unique manner, even when the film is through.
This movie is a grower, not a shower, and it absolutely gets better as it goes, one scene after another, the tension slowly grows as it burns hotter and hotter. As things unfold, it becomes more and more clear that Dutch writer/director Halina Reijn has a deep understanding for people with sexual personalities and sexual preferences that go beyond the basic realm of "sex with the person you love". The film absolutely nails the way it showcases the double-edged sword of debauchery: the utmost thrill, and the utter plague.
If you need to see the good guys win in the end, Babygirl is not a movie for you. There are no angels in this film. Trouble is lurking around every corner. It's a film about inner psychological warfare, and it's very real. The soundtrack is phenomenal. The pacing is ace. I honestly can't believe this is by the same person who made Bodies Bodies Bodies - while that movie was fun, it was also pretty dumb (consciously though, I believe) - but this one is almost a spiritual opposite, bursting at the seams with sincere human complexity. I was beyond impressed. Definitely Top 10 of 2024.
That aside, I naturally came into Babygirl expecting something "mid" and walked out extremely impressed by what I would consider a flawless film, and definitely a standout in the history of film. Nicole Kidman maintains her status as an absolute queen of delivering complex, provocative characters in erotically charged films that always manage to have just enough separation from one another, yet they are all fully believable as separate fleshed-out individuals (Eyes Wide Shut, and especially To Die For, come to mind first, the latter being one of my favorite movies ever). Noting that, it is INSANELY IMPRESSIVE that relatively new star Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw, etc) could get dropped into a movie this intense and FULLY hold his own with the legend Kidman herself. Dickinson delivers one of the most complex and bizarre characters this year, remaining wholly unpredictable and mysterious in a very unique manner, even when the film is through.
This movie is a grower, not a shower, and it absolutely gets better as it goes, one scene after another, the tension slowly grows as it burns hotter and hotter. As things unfold, it becomes more and more clear that Dutch writer/director Halina Reijn has a deep understanding for people with sexual personalities and sexual preferences that go beyond the basic realm of "sex with the person you love". The film absolutely nails the way it showcases the double-edged sword of debauchery: the utmost thrill, and the utter plague.
If you need to see the good guys win in the end, Babygirl is not a movie for you. There are no angels in this film. Trouble is lurking around every corner. It's a film about inner psychological warfare, and it's very real. The soundtrack is phenomenal. The pacing is ace. I honestly can't believe this is by the same person who made Bodies Bodies Bodies - while that movie was fun, it was also pretty dumb (consciously though, I believe) - but this one is almost a spiritual opposite, bursting at the seams with sincere human complexity. I was beyond impressed. Definitely Top 10 of 2024.