Right so… yikes! Never thought I’d feel empowered enough to write a movie review but, unfortunately, here we are.
Let’s begin with a disclaimer: I’m not a film student. I don’t know much about movies or movie production. I am a very average girl, who would never claim to be a “big movie person.”
That being said… wow. “Babygirl” is certainly something special.
To keep it short and sweet, the movie follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), a high-ranking executive at an up-and-coming robotics company. She has it all — a loving husband (Antonio Banderas), two mostly sweet children, a fancy apartment in New York City and much more.
Life is good, but life is stagnant. Romy feels displaced and unsatisfied. Around the winter holiday season, she meets intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson) and the two begin an affair together.
“Babygirl” was written and directed by Halina Reijn — Dutch actress, writer and film director. It was marketed as an erotic thriller, but embodies much more.
During an interview with The Daily Show, Reijn discussed her inspiration behind “Babygirl.”
She said it all began with a question: “Can we love even the most shameful parts of ourselves?”
“I always want to be normal,” Reijn said during the interview. “My movie is sort of a letter to myself, to encourage myself to become more unapologetically my authentic self, without shame.”
It may be vulnerable to admit, but I get Reijn’s message. Really, I do. Reijn has something to say with this movie. It’s unconventional and at times uncomfortable, but she’s got a good point.
Romy, Kidman’s character, refuses to embrace her “authentic self” and, as a result, risks her company, her children and her marriage. Like, come on girl. What are we doing? For a man? A man who explicitly told you he doesn’t love you, romantically?
There’s a heartbreaking moment where Romy looks to her husband and says, “I just want to be normal… I want to be the woman you like.” Kicked me right in the gut, hard. I get it, Romy. I’ve been there.
For years and years and years movies have followed the same trope but reversed the roles of the male and female leads. “Babygirl” drew inspiration from many notable films like “Basic Instinct,” “Fatal Attraction” and “Indecent Proposal.” There always seems to be less uproar surrounding these movies compared to “Babygirl.”
Social media, at least from what I’ve seen, has sensationalized the movie in a way that detracts from Reijn’s message. Sure, the skin of it is an off-the-wall, kinky movie, but the bones — the bones are much more feminist and liberating.
“They just all tended to punish the lead, who would be the cheater, or the woman, the femme fatale,” Reijn said in the interview. “I don’t like to punish my characters. I really love to be human about them.”
I think that’s what makes this movie worth the watch: Reijn embracing the messiness of humanity. No character is perfect, nor are they expected to be. Reijn showcases a wide range of relationship dynamics under a multitude of stressors, but I didn’t leave the theater feeling bad.
Don’t get me wrong, “Babygirl” certainly didn’t make me feel great. It’s just a cautionary tale for open communication. Especially for someone like me. Especially for women. Especially for people who feel the need to repress authentic parts of themselves.
It’s also an A24 movie, so it’s going to be beautifully shot and, by God, it was. Some scenes were so out-of-pocket, but I couldn’t really complain. It’s A24. The rave scene was definitely one of my favorites. Crazy and messy, just like Romy, but I couldn’t look away. Take me there immediately, please.
Not a movie I’m going to say is a need-to-watch but if people find themselves curious, don’t shy away from it. Go buy a ticket.
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