Babygirl.
Whenever sex is the main theme in a film especially when unaccompanied by romance and passion it is I think always a cheap shot. And when the lead actor is a renown performer with box office draw it is especially cynical move. Films are a storytelling device, art form and business. So the third point might be partially forgiven.
If the very accomplished Nicole Kidman who has moments of real acting in this buzz worthy film were not in it. It would be a grade B pot boiler that would appear online in a matter of weeks of its theatrical release. It is mostly a failure. Which is a shame. The responsibility has to laid at the doorstep of Halina Reijn who wrote, directed, and produced this very elaborate production. Which Ms Kidman has to carry single-handedly on her very capable shoulders. But even that is not enough to save the entire film. The main problem is the afore mentioned premise which we’ve all seen before. The successful couple the affair, followed by the discovery the rage the remorse. The difference here being the female protagonist, who is a hard driving CEO. (Kidman). Nothing seems authentic or genuine. There are only brief moments of authenticity in the passion of the affair and sex scenes. On the surface of their successful glam lives filled with the dinner parties club scenes and fancy houses is just boring. The opening sequence is pure titillation. The object of her dalliance a young initially disinterested intern she has hired, played by Harris Dickinson, who soon discovers her latent penchant for taking orders, which unleashes in her heretofore unfulfilled sexual desires. The remaining narrative is predictable and unfortunately peopled with mostly wooden performances, regretfully including Antonio Banderas as the cuckolded husband. In a brief fight scene with Samuel (Dickinson) near the end of the film punches are pulled, both parties are superficially injured. I’m not going to give away the ending, but you know what it is. The the hands of a different director (I don’t know who that might be) This could have been a more worthwhile effort.
250 Stars (all for Kidman)
