S Poddar
Romy Mathis is a successful CEO who seemingly has it all: the perfect family and an excellent career. Little do they know, she harbors an insatiable hunger for something more. But when her life is turned upside down, she succumbs to a smoldering love affair with her young intern Samuel. Nicole Kidman gives a riveting performance as Romy, so alive with turmoil against the forbidden charm of such a desire.
By director Halina Reijn, Babygirl navigates the complexities of office dynamics and the intoxicating power of sexual attraction. Surprisingly enough, the film opens on one revelation: Romy faked her previous orgasms, discontent with her marriage on a deep, corrosive level. It is her meeting with Samuel that sparks something in her, causing her to question the boundaries of her carefully contrived life.
As the affair reaches its boiling point, the taboo love slowly engulfs Romy. Samuel was fresh with the feeling of a young lad-so confident and unique that he toyed with her emotional feelings until she became weak and intoxicated. The movie further deals with the power equation between them as Samuel gradually began to wield control over the life and career of Romy.
Babygirl doesn’t flinch when probing the darker aspects of the affair: Romy’s transgressions reach well past her marriage into her professional life. There are no easy answers in the film, no cut-and-dried moral judgments-just a rife examination of desire, betrayal, and the human cost of unchecked ambition.
Reijn’s touch is skillful in quite a number of ways, but occasionally there’s some uneven pacing in the film. A few scenes might feel a bit rushed while others may show their welcome out the door. Besides that, the ending will not satisfy every viewer because it really resolves none of the dilemmas these characters have put themselves in.
Despite its flaws, Babygirl is a thought-provoking film, raising some quite important questions regarding societal expectations, the allure of forbidden love, and consequences that follow our actions. Kidman’s powerful performance, along with Reijn’s delving into complex themes, makes this a film worth watching.
