S Poddar
It does look like Nicole Kidman is making bold appearances with her new thriller Babygirl. The new film is making quite a noise at the Venice Film Festival and mostly to the delight of moviegoers. A highly steamy trailer of the film has got some fans labeling it as the naughtiest film of the year courtesy of its outrageously steamy scenes. The movie is a treat to watch, with the Hollywood legend Kidman accompanying the much younger co-star Harris Dickinson in a plot charged with tension, passion, and a power dynamic that really does appear to flip the entire tradition on its head.
Kidman is Romy, an overworked executive with responsibilities on the job and at home with kids and more. But her life isn’t going anywhere without a little surprise when a new intern, Samuel, portrayed by Dickinson, shows up at her company. The vivacious charm and outrageous attitude of Samuel set something that truly developed in forbidden love quickly enough to become much more intense than they could have anticipated.
The chemistry between Romy and Samuel is explosive, and Samuel establishes dominance in their illicit relationship very quickly. In one memorable scene from the trailer, he tells Romy, “I think you like being told what to do,” igniting a mixture of desire and defiance in her. As she tries to brush off his comment, he challenges her with a simple, “Is it?”—setting the stage for a romance that blurs the lines between authority and submission.
Nor is Samuel afraid of being in control, and the couple’s relationship moves from the boardroom to the bedroom in some of the movie’s most intimate and charged moments. The trailer promises that one of the sexiest scenes—Samuel tells Romy to “get on your knees”—exposes naked, physical power play in the midst of their illicit affair.
Though the movie holds so much passion, Babygirl is also highly capable of exploring power-related vulnerability with allurement to break boundaries. Because Romy is a successful businesswoman entangled with a subordinate of younger age, she challenges societal understandings of age and gender roles over authority in romantic relationships. Kidman’s portrayal was able to capture the emotional conflict of this woman in both standing up against one’s public persona and fighting for private desires.
The bold film has already become the talk of town, and it is by many considered the boldest she has acted so far in her career. There is undeniable chemistry between Kidman and Dickinson that can be felt in every frame of the trailer. Fans on social media are immediately looking forward to the movie with many declaring their anticipation and how provocative it is and very bold in its choices about the narrative.
-Starlet* is a very important shift from most of Kidman’s previous performances. For instance, in rising corporate star, Kidman proves willing to push boundaries and take risks on her career path. The taboo relationships and unflinching approach to power dynamics make this one of the most talked-about films of the year.
Besides the obvious sexual exploits, Babygirl presents a commentary on workplace ethics, especially where older men are related to much younger women or where there is an inequality in power. The affair with Samuel opens Romy to so much potential damage both professionally and personally as she fails to draw clear lines between business and pleasure. The elaboration on these issues adds such great depth to what otherwise is a thriller with much sexual charge in it.
Already making a splash with its bold storytelling and fearless performances, the film Babygirl is one film for which fans eagerly await it to happen. And there is good reason for their excitement: Kidman’s performance promises to be one of the most compelling aspects of the movie, in showing a woman grappling with her desires as well as the consequences of crossing boundaries. And with Dickinson’s take on the confident seducer, Samuel, the film is sure to be a memorable addition to both actors’ careers.
With such provocative contents and a broad variety of themes that shake one’s very perceptions, Babygirl is surely going to be a talking point between the admirers about power, desire, and modern complexity in its very relations. It is a shocking edge-of-the-room film that would make relevant questions to viewable perceptions on love, lust, and control in the viewership.
