While I was on my unplanned hiatus from Western films (don’t ask, it just happened), not much managed to pierce through the fog of my disinterest. Babygirl was the rare exception. Its premise sounded fresh, intriguing, and, quite frankly, bold. But then the reviews trickled in, and the overall reception was… underwhelming. So, like many things in life, I set Babygirl aside and moved on. Until now.
On a very rainy day in Seoul, when boredom was staging a full-scale invasion, I decided to watch something, anything. But with my watchlist being endless, choosing ended up, like always, quite challenging. Until I stumbled across Babygirl and thought, why not? Maybe it’ll spice up this gloomy day and distract me from the impending doom of my return home.
But, as I mentioned, the film wasn’t exactly met with fireworks and standing ovations. And sometimes, the public, the critics and I do see eye to eye. So yes, Babygirl was a disappointment. Its spice level was so mild, I didn’t even blush once. Still, it did a few things better than Fifty Shades of Grey, so I can’t be too mad.
The film follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), a high-powered CEO who finds herself drawn to her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). He’s the dom; she’s the reluctant sub. Reluctant being the key word because at first, Romy wrestles with the idea of surrendering control, which felt believable, especially within the sharp-toothed world of corporate America.
When she finally submits to Samuel, sparks fly, and yes, milk is licked from a plate. Their chemistry was… decent. I thought Dickinson handled his role well, exuding just enough edge without tipping into parody. As for Kidman, I’ve always believed she has the range to tackle difficult characters, it’s just her face that sometimes forgets to come along for the ride.
One of the main criticisms I saw was that Babygirl doesn’t make a lot of sense, and I agree. The second act is where the film starts to unravel. The writing turns sloppy, tension fizzles, and the stakes never quite land. It’s like someone whispered, “We’re almost at the end,” and the plot just gave up. The consequences are supposedly there, but you wouldn’t know it by the pacing.
The entire fight between Samuel and Romy’s husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) felt performative. I think part of the reason is the fact that Jacob gets very little screen time and his marriage to Romy isn’t really strongly established. It would have been more impactful if we saw more moments from their past, happy and content days which will be contradicted with Romy feeling unsatisfied in the bedroom.
That said, I do appreciate what Babygirl tries to do. The setup is compelling. Romy isn’t a fragile, broken submissive in the way Fifty Shades liked to portray women. She’s powerful, commanding, and enjoys control, but behind closed doors, she craves to surrender herself. And that makes complete sense. There’s something fascinating about watching a woman who leads in life choose to yield in the name of an orgasm. It’s a nuanced dynamic that deserved a stronger movie which I hope will appear some day.
METTEL RAY 
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