Babygirl is a 2024 American erotic thriller which I call another Fifty Shades of Grey, directed by Halina Reijn. The film follows Romy Mathis, a high-powered CEO of a robotics automation company in New York City, whose personal and professional life spirals into chaos when she engages in a risky affair with a much younger intern, Samuel.
As their power dynamics shift, the relationship blurs the line between seduction and control, setting off a chain of events that threatens Romy’s marriage, career, and sense of self. Starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde, the film explores themes of power, desire, and the consequences of forbidden attraction.
Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival, where Kidman won Best Actress, Babygirl received critical acclaim for its intense performances and psychological depth.
Babygirl was later released by A24 in December 2024 and was recognized as one of the top films of the year.
Background of Babygirl
Halina Reijn conceived Babygirl as an exploration of female sexuality and the power dynamics within modern workplaces. Inspired by real stories of women who had never experienced fulfillment in their intimate lives, Reijn sought to depict a raw and unfiltered portrayal of desire, control, and vulnerability.
Drawing inspiration from classic erotic thrillers like Basic Instinct and Indecent Proposal, she set the film in an American corporate setting, where rigid hierarchies amplify the stakes of Romy and Samuel’s illicit relationship.
The production was spearheaded by A24, with filming taking place in New York City between December 2023 and February 2024.
The casting of Nicole Kidman as Romy brought a sense of sophistication and gravitas to the film, while Harris Dickinson’s portrayal of Samuel added an unsettling edge to their dangerous liaison. The score, composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer, enhanced the film’s haunting atmosphere, complementing its psychological tension. Nicole once confessed that she was immensely turned on during the shooting of Babygirl.
With its provocative storytelling and bold character study, Babygirl became a cultural talking point, challenging traditional narratives about power, control, and agency in relationships.
Plot Summary
Romy Mathis is a middle-aged CEO of a warehouse automation company, a woman of power and influence but deeply dissatisfied—physically and emotionally. Her marriage to Jacob, a theater director, has long since lost its spark, leaving her feeling unfulfilled.
Then comes Samuel, a young, confident intern at her company who seems to sense the hunger in her before she even acknowledges it herself.
What starts as an impulsive, stolen kiss in a private meeting quickly spirals into a full-blown affair. At first, Romy struggles with guilt, fearing the implications of her position of power over Samuel. But she soon realizes that she is not the one in control—Samuel is. “I could get you fired with one phone call,” he tells her, shifting the balance of power in a way Romy never anticipated.
As their encounters grow more intense, so does Samuel’s influence over her. He appears uninvited at her family’s country home, weaving himself into her personal life under the guise of returning her forgotten laptop. Romy lashes out, trying to reassert boundaries, but Samuel isn’t easily dismissed.
He threatens to request a transfer, a move that could invite unwanted scrutiny into their relationship. Desperate to keep their secret buried, Romy clings to the affair even as it chips away at her self-worth.
The situation becomes even more precarious when Esme, Romy’s assistant, discovers the affair. Knowing she holds the ultimate leverage, Esme demands Romy end it and make structural changes at the company—changes that would benefit her own position. Cornered, Romy has no choice but to comply.
Eventually, Romy confesses to her husband, though she downplays the affair as a one-time mistake with a stranger. But Jacob isn’t fooled, and his reaction is one of cold detachment. Left feeling lost and humiliated, Romy finds herself at Samuel’s mercy once more, pleading for him to continue their affair—but this time, on his terms.
“You are confusing ambition with morality. They are different”—Romy
The final confrontation happens at her daughter’s birthday party when Samuel shows up with Esme on his arm, a blatant display of his power over Romy.
The facade finally cracks. A scuffle breaks out between Jacob and Samuel, ending in a moment of unexpected tenderness—Samuel helping Jacob through a panic attack.
Samuel eventually moves on, taking a job overseas. The power struggle, the secrets, and the humiliation have left their mark on Romy, but she chooses to reclaim control in her own way. At home, she and Jacob rekindle their marriage, attempting to rewrite their story on their terms.
But does she truly have the upper hand now? Or has the sand beneath her feet already shifted too far?
Though Samuel is gone, the echoes of his presence still linger in Romy’s life. She tells herself she has regained control, that she has left the affair behind—but control is an illusion, a fragile thing that slips through her fingers the moment she thinks she has grasped it.
At work, the whispers never seem to die down. Esme, now in a higher position thanks to her leverage over Romy, remains a constant reminder of the power dynamics that had once left her vulnerable. Every meeting, every passing glance, every subtle smirk from Esme feels like a tightening noose.
A board member approaches Romy with a knowing smirk. He casually mentions Samuel’s new job in Japan, then invites her to his house for a “private discussion” about the situation.
The implication is clear—he knows something, or at least suspects. But Romy has learned from her mistakes. She meets his gaze without flinching and tells him coldly, “I am not afraid of you. If I want to be humiliated, I will pay someone to do that.”
The confrontation should leave her feeling empowered, but instead, it unsettles her. She sees now how fragile her position truly is. The illusion of control, the precarious nature of power—it’s all a game of shifting sand, and she is only just beginning to understand the rules.
At home, Romy tries to repair what is left of her marriage. She and Jacob attempt to reconnect, to find intimacy again, but it is tainted by the ghost of her affair.
In a desperate attempt to reignite the passion she once sought elsewhere, she reenacts a sex act from her time with Samuel. This time, with Jacob.
And for the first time in their marriage, she finally orgasms.
Yet, even in that moment of release, something gnaws at her—a bitter taste of irony. Was it really Jacob she was with in that moment, or was it the memory of Samuel?
Elsewhere, in a dimly lit hotel room, Samuel sits alone, feeding treats to a dog. The once-cocky intern, the boy who had played at being a man, now seems small, almost lost. Perhaps Romy was not the only one who had been changed by their time together.
Because power, after all, is never one-sided.
And as Romy stares at her reflection in the mirror that night, she can’t help but wonder—did she ever truly have control at all?
Message of Babygirl
The film Babygirl is a psychological exploration of power dynamics, desire, and the cost of ambition. Romy Mathis, a physically dissatisfied middle-aged woman and the CEO of a warehouse automated robot company, embarks on an extramarital affair with a much younger intern, Samuel.
Initially hesitant due to the inherent power imbalance, Romy soon finds herself entangled in a relationship where control shifts in unexpected ways.
At its core, Babygirl conveys a powerful message about vulnerability in positions of power. While watching Babygirl, I pondered, “When you are in a position where your honor and livelihood are at stake, you must be careful about who you fall in love with.” This sentiment is deeply ingrained in Romy’s narrative arc.
As an ambitious and high-achieving woman, she initially believes she holds all the control in her relationship with Samuel. However, it soon becomes clear that he, by virtue of her weakness and desire, holds a dangerous advantage over her.
Samuel’s manipulation of Romy highlights a cautionary tale of unrequited love: Once an immature person has power over you because of your weakness, he/she may use you for his advantage and make you vulnerable.
Babygirl does not merely portray an affair but delves into the psychological distress of realizing one’s own limitations. Romy, who is used to being in control in her professional sphere, grapples with a different reality in her personal life.
The narrative further explores the consequences of misplaced trust and emotional dependence. The illusion of control shifts when Samuel asserts his power over Romy, forcing Romy to confront the fragility of her position to fulfil his carnal desire.
Suddenly it reminds me also what Tara Westover writes in her memoir that “It’s strange how you give the people you love so much power over you”.
The moment she realizes that the sand from under her foot is shifted, making her feel worthless, is a turning point. Her once firm grasp on her life crumbles, exposing the illusion that she ever had full control at all.
Throughout Babygirl, Romy struggles with the clash between morality and ambition. Her powerful lines, “You are confusing ambition with morality. They are different.” and “If I want to be humiliated, I will pay someone to do that.” encapsulate her internal battle.
She recognizes the distinction between her professional success and her personal downfall, yet she remains entrapped in the consequences of her choices.
Nevertheless, Babygirl serves as a reflection on the precarious nature of power, the illusions of control, needs of conjugal attention, carnal intimacy, familial loyalty, unfulfilled desire of women and the inevitable vulnerabilities that come with human desire.
It is a cautionary tale that resonates deeply in a world where personal and professional lives are often intertwined, reminding us that unchecked ambition and suppressed desires can lead to unforeseen, and sometimes devastating, consequences.
There is a line I would love to put her from another 2024 film, Unstoppable that “a man’s character is his fate”.
Babygirl Box Office Performance
Babygirl was produced with a budget of $20 million and managed to secure a respectable $50 million in global box office revenue.
Babygirl debuted at the Venice International Film Festival before its theatrical release by A24 on December 25, 2024. Its domestic and international performance was solid, with an opening weekend gross of $7.3 million over five days.
By its second weekend, it had nearly matched its opening numbers, a sign of positive word-of-mouth traction.
Praises for Babygirl
Babygirl received significant recognition during the awards season, with Nicole Kidman winning the prestigious Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
The film was also named one of the top ten movies of 2024 by the National Board of Review, solidifying its place as a standout title of the year. Kidman continued to dominate nominations across various award circuits, including the Golden Globes, Gotham Awards, and BAFTAs.
The film was also shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Original Score, a testament to Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s haunting and evocative compositions.
Critical Response
Babygirl sparked considerable debate among critics and audiences. It holds a 77% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80 on Metacritic, reflecting generally favorable reviews.
Many praised Halina Reijn’s direction for its bold, unflinching exploration of power dynamics and sexuality, while Nicole Kidman’s performance was universally lauded for its depth and complexity.
Michelle Goldberg of The New York Times highlighted how the film addressed themes of gender, power, and sexual agency with nuance, while Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson described it as a provocative character study with a “clinical gaze” that kept it from descending into mere sensationalism.
However, not all critics were sold on its execution. The Guardian’s Xan Brooks felt the film, despite its provocative subject matter, was too polished and lacked genuine rawness.
Overall, Babygirl proved to be both a commercial and critical success, cementing its place as one of the most talked-about films of the year. It can be one of the best Valentine’s Day films this year.
