Let’s begin by noting that Babygirl premiered at TIFF, where the excitement surrounding its North American Premiere was palpable.
While I was well aware of Nicole Kidman’s recent win for “Best Actress” at the Venice Film Festival, she had to leave immediately after, returning home due to the passing of her mother. Miss Kidman’s dedication to her family at this moment was deeply admirable.
In Babygirl, Kidman stars as a high-powered CEO, Romy, who risks both her career and marriage to an urbane theatre director (Antonio Banderas) by plunging into a tumultuous affair with a much younger intern.
The film deftly constructs the framework of a modern sexual thriller, adapted to our 21st-century culture that increasingly explores, and even amplifies, the complexity of human fantasy. If you’re still reading, we might be on the same page—intrigued yet unsettled by these portrayals that blur boundaries of societal norms and personal desire. Each of us has unique, perhaps hidden, imaginings, and Romy’s character seems entirely unburdened by external judgment—a quality common to many who hold power.
Directed by the incredibly talented Halina Reijn, who soared to prominence after her last film’s North American premiere at TIFF in 2022, this piece is brought to life under the signature style of A24. Known for its uniquely genre-defying thrillers, often with dark comedic twists, A24 once again succeeds in keeping audiences either on the edge of their seats or holding their breath in suspense. True to form, I found myself whispering silent pleas to the characters and gripping my seat, until I finally let go, surrendering to the story’s dark yet exhilarating twists.
The film concludes with a well-tied ending, offering closure while leaving certain aspects open to the audience’s interpretation.
Babygirl will be released in theatres on December 25, 2024.
Photo courtesy of TIFF.
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