A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern (Harris Dickinson).

The Garden Cinema View:

Babygirl is a radical exploration of a woman’s desire through a distinctly female gaze, highlighting how rare such perspectives remain. Even in the most heated erotic moments, writer/director Halina Reijn's camera focuses on Ronny (Nicole Kidman) rather than her gorgeous young lover (Harris Dickinson), who - despite being a fully-fledged character - serves primarily as a conduit for her complex desires.

The film subverts expectations on multiple fronts. While drawing inspiration from classic sexual psychodramas like 9 1⁄2 Weeks, Secretary, and Fatal Attraction, it showcases a fresh take on power dynamics - the young intern dominates while the CEO submits - to create a compelling narrative. It  also avoids tired psychoanalytical tropes by neither over-explaining nor pathologising the couple's intense sexual chemistry, without sacrificing character depth.

Although it's now somewhat clichéd to say that Nicole Kidman delivers a brave, vulnerable performance in Babygirl, it is undeniable. Harris Dickinson stands his ground, giving a truly excellent performance that delicately balances assertiveness, insecurity, humour, and awkwardness.

Cast:
Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde