Without having seen it myself, it’s starting to sound like one of the most shocking projects on the 2024 movie schedule might be director Halina Reijn’s Babygirl. Considering how star Nicole Kidman still blushes over the picture, that label seems to be pretty well-earned. However, now we don’t have to take her word for it, as viewers have been reacting to the erotic thriller’s contents, and they’re definitely not leaving anything to the imagination.
In conversation with THR, the Australian acting legend shared some of the thoughts that she’s heard in response to the upcoming A24 movie. And some of that feedback does come from a place of shock, while other viewers seem to leave asking some insightful but intense questions. Nicole Kidman presented both sides of that coin as follows:
There are many women who are going, ‘Well, I’ve done this, I’ve got children, I’ve got this husband, and what do I actually want? Who am I and what are my desires? Do I have to pretend to be something else for people to love me?’ I think it’s very releasing, this film. I hope it is. I’ve had some people say it’s the most disturbing film they’ve ever seen, which I’m like, ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry.’
To be fair, Nicole Kidman’s previous steamy scene comments do tell a story of a movie that was as intense to make as it apparently is to view. While the Babygirl trailer is still safe enough to be included on YouTube without violating community guidelines, the “releasing” energy that The Perfect Couple star cites this film for engaging in is still very much present.
Applying some of the reactions she shared in the front half of her remark, Ms. Kidman drew some real-life parallels when it came to her Babygirl character’s journey and women in the entertainment industry. Showing how those connections intrigued her enough to take the role in the first place, she offered the following notes:
A lot of times women are discarded at a certain period of their career as a sexual being. So it was really beautiful to be seen in this way. From the minute I read it, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is a voice I haven’t seen, this is a place that I haven’t been, I don’t think audiences have been.’ My character has reached a stage where she’s got all this power, but she’s not sure who she is, what she wants, what she desires, even though she seems to have it all. And I think that’s really relatable.
Just as Nightbitch will have audiences relating to Amy Adams’ bonkers journey through motherhood, Nicole Kidman’s Babygirl seems to be primed to have us all examining our relationships in life a little more carefully. Will that introspective energy carry this sexually charged offering into box office and awards glory? That depends on where the soon-to-expand pool of viewers will land in the debate of whether this film is releasing or off-putting.
Now’s a good time to keep in mind that Babygirl’s release date has this shocker squarely set for a Christmas Day debut. So if you really want to make it a fun day at the movies, why not pair it with Nosferatu or Nightbitch? I mean, you’re apparently heading into dark waters already, so it’s probably best to cross some of these movies off your watch list while you’re still in the proper headspace.