‘Babygirl’ Leaves Much to be Desired
Image Courtesy of Screen Rant
By Mariam Baldwin
Although it comes with the slogan of “get everything you want,” Babygirl fails to satisfy viewers like me. Not only does it sorely lack a plot, but it also boasts a shoddy script and sends potentially harmful messages. With an all-star cast of Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas, alongside rising star Harris Dickinson, Babygirl seemingly has the ingredients for success. But horrible writing and misdirection only squanders the immense talent of the film’s stars.
The story follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), the high-powered CEO of a tech company in New York City. She’s married and has two teenage daughters to Jacob (Antonio Banderas). But even though she has a prolific career and a picture-perfect family, Romy feels that her marriage lacks passion. That’s when much-younger intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson) enters the fold.
Samuel flatters Romy by selecting her as his mentor. But little does she know that he has ulterior motives – and the two eventually embark on a torrid affair. It’s based upon the fact that Samuel has the dominant hand, and he tells Romy that he could get her fired “with one phone call.”
Frankly, the idea that every powerful woman seeks to be overpowered is insulting. Samuel’s treatment of Romy is neither ‘flirty’ nor ‘fun,’ but borderline abusive. What’s more is that we never see the qualities that allowed Romy to climb the notoriously male corporate ladder. Throughout the film, she is as meek and docile as a schoolchild. Even though she’s much older and more professionally established than Samuel, Romy falls into the same worn-out pattern that puts women at the mercy of men.
Besides its questionable commentary, the film fails in that it doesn’t have a plot to carry it. At least for the first hour or so, nothing really happens. Shock-value scenes replace an actual storyline, creating a disjointed slog to sit through for too much of the runtime. Almost all of the characters are one-note and unlikable. Even Jacob, who is arguably the most sympathetic one to grace the screen, suffers from his character’s underdevelopment in the movie.
The film gets a little better toward the end though, where it shifts its focus to the consequences of the affair. There’s a particularly well-shot scene of Romy and Samuel at a club rave. Amidst the strobing lights and overwhelming crowds, you feel the intensity as if you were there with them. But one exceptional moment isn’t enough to save an otherwise terrible film.
Aside from the well-used trope of repressed pleasure, the film doesn’t stand for anything. There’s no underlying message or lesson that viewers are supposed to take to mind after watching. Even the ending lands on a morally grey note, where Romy and Samuel face minimal impact from the consequences of their actions. The film is only ever a play on people’s most base instincts. This would be more respectable if Babygirl was honest about what it is, rather than masquerading as a groundbreaking arthouse film. For the most part, Babygirl squanders all its potential. Its script and direction cheat the immense talent of the cast, which makes for a frustrating viewing experience. This marks the film as a colossal failure despite its best efforts.
