Babygirl the Movie: A Must See for Romance Readers

In this blog post I will defend the brilliance of the A24 movie, Babygirl. Thank you to the Academy and the SAG Awards for noting as they completely shut out one of my favorite movies of the entire year.

If you’ve come into contact with me over the past month, then you know I cannot stop talking about the A24 film, Babygirl. When the movie came out, my husband found himself on the Babygirl movie TikTok algorithm and that we needed to see the movie ASAP because it features a George Michael song. If you’ve been around Really Into This for any length of time, you know I absolutely love George Michael.

As an avid moviegoer and a lifelong lover of George Michael, I was absolutely feral to get myself to a theater. I remembered the previews were sexy, teasing and a bit dark. I thought Basic Instinct-esque type of stuff. And Nicole Kidman on the big screen? Yes, please! I was down for an age gap, dom-sub type of thing. Let’s do it!

A24/Babygirl

Meet Babygirl

Here’s a bit about the film. It stars Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde. It is written and directed by the incredible Halina Reijn who also directed Bodies Bodies Bodies. The blurb from A24 is this: “A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.” Now, I know most people don’t like the cheating or affair trope, but to me this movie is a must see for romance readers.

As a fan of A24 films, I think the less I know about some of their movies the better. Like let me just sit back, enjoy the ride and see where the film takes me.

All the Feelings

To put it mildly, I adored this movie. To me, Babygirl is a wonderful exploration of intimacy, relationships, sexual desires & fulfilling your deepest fantasies. Without spoiling the entire movie for anyone, Nicole Kidman is a badass CEO who is determined, focused and brilliant. She is also a wife and mother with sexual needs and desires that are unmet. This creates a duality that I think is present for many women in that women can present to the public in one way, but behind closed doors there is a deeper story. A story that perhaps women are shamed into keeping hidden.

I think many viewers are unsettled by the film and I totally get that. There are definitely some laugh out loud moments mixed with suspense, tension & drama. Babygirl is so layered and nuanced as it touches on motherhood, marriage, workplace expectations for women. We also see a woman risking it all for a sexual dalliance with a much younger man. There’s a lot to unpack and so much to talk about. I can’t wait to see it again.

Baby girl pool - man and woman embracing — A24/Babygirl

The Romance of it All

So why do I think romance readers would love this film? Because the desire for romance is ever present throughout the film. Romance means something different for all readers, right? But I think at the heart of what we love about the genre is the desire for intimacy, communication and the celebration of love in all forms. We get all of that and more in Babygirl.

To me some of the scenes that were “cringeworthy” were what made the movie a bit more authentic. Now, I only know this from reading romance novels, but to have a health dom-sub relationship, one needs constant and clear communication, boundaries, respect and trust. In order to achieve that, you need to talk through all the details. Let’s be real, there are people in very committed relationships that are still uncomfortable to talk to their partner about certain subject matter. I loved seeing these conversations play out on screen because it brought the relationship to life in a more realistic way.

I also wonder if the age gap (where the female is older) wasn’t present if people would’ve thought it was as cringeworthy. I’m betting not, but hey we all let society’s misogyny get the best of us from time to time. What this movie boils down to for me is that women as a whole are still afraid to ask for what they want and possibly even more afraid to ask for what they need. And we shouldn’t live that way.

I think I need to make a list of Romance books similar to Babygirl. You see, I could go on and on about this movie, but I want to know what you think!

Have you seen Babygirl? If so, I would love to know your thoughts!

Babygirl the Movie: A Must See for Romance Readers

Meet Babygirl

All the Feelings

The Romance of it All

Sarah

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Meet Babygirl

All the Feelings

The Romance of it All

Sarah

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