Halina Reijn’s Babygirl is bringing something new. Erotic thrillers have been a popular guilty pleasure for decades. Films like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct are among the most name-recognisable. However, the genre has grown increasingly stale and formulaic over time. Babygirl has arrived just in time to shake things up.
Disclaimer: Mild plot spoilers below.
The Female Perspective
In 2017, Nicole Kidman made a pledge to work with a female director every 18 months. Babygirl is perfectly in alignment with Nicole Kidman’s output since then. Dutch actress-turned-filmmaker Halina Reijn is Kidman’s latest creative partner. This collaboration has already proven fruitful, as Kidman’s Babygirl performance has been nominated for a ‘Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama’ Golden Globe.
When looking at the most ‘classic’ erotic thrillers, there is a heavy bias towards the male gaze. Michael Douglas being the most recognisable protagonist of the genre is proof of this. Moreover, it often feels as though the erotic thriller is used as a vehicle to ridicule and pathologise female sexuality.
In Babygirl, Kidman plays Romy Mathis, a powerful CEO of a fictional company that heavily resembles Amazon. Romy seemingly has it all: professional success, a loving husband, and two children.
Beneath the veneer of a picture-perfect life, Romy is frustrated. Something is missing from her sex life with her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas). When an enigmatic young man named Samuel begins an internship at Romy’s company, the two strike up a secret, salacious affair.
No Heroes or Villains
Typically, an erotic thriller would draw a clear line of whom the audience should root for or against. Babygirl subverts this concept entirely. There is a great deal of empathy for all of the main players involved. Although Romy is having an affair, the story takes care to show how she struggles with the many micro and macro expectations placed upon her. The story doesn’t aim to ‘excuse’ extramarital affairs. Instead, it offers a nuanced perspective on why Romy is spiralling, despite seemingly having everything.
Early in the film, Romy tries to initiate a different dynamic in her sex life. Her husband Jacob fails to understand what she’s asking for. It’s uncomfortable to watch. No one has bad intentions but the disconnect is evident.
Jacob is not a villain in this story. There is never any doubt that he loves his wife. Moreover, that love is mutual. The marriage is flawed but nonetheless worth saving. Kidman and Banderas paint a heartfelt portrait of a couple with a long history together. You can’t help but root for them to find their way back to one another.
Erotic Thrillers Can Be Fun… and Funny?
The most unexpected quality of Babygirl is its sense of humour. The erotic thriller is not a genre viewers typically associate with audible laughter in the audience. Nonetheless, there was plenty at the early screening I attended (with a heavily female audience).
The humour doesn’t stem from mocking its characters. Instead, Babygirl fully embraces the salacious fun of watching impulsive behaviour. Is it reckless to have an affair with someone from the workplace? Yes. Will there be consequences if the affair is discovered? Absolutely.
Babygirl walks a tightrope of being emotionally honest and vulnerable with the indulgence and betrayal of an affair… with the tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement that the audience wants to watch a spectacle.
If having an affair is the messiest way to have a breakthrough in communication with your husband, run with it!
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