The success of the new movie Babygirl has brought the erotic thriller genre back to the spotlight. Nicole Kidman leads the cast as the tech company CEO Romy Mathis, with Harris Dickinson and Antonio Banderas playing important supporting roles. The film follows Romy as she becomes discouraged by her husband’s inability to satisfy her sexually and begins an affair with her intern Samuel.
Along with allowing Kidman’s character to have her desires met, the film examines the nature of relationships, looking at love, power dynamics, and eventually forgiveness. While the film never tries to frame Romy as being in the right for her inappropriate actions, Kidman portrays her with such complexity that audiences still have hope that she will find happiness and love with her family.
Babygirl subverts Antonio Banderas’ sex appeal, giving audiences something unexpected. In the film, Banderas’ character Jacob is made to seem weak and even somewhat pathetic in his relationship with his wife. This is a stark contrast to many of his other roles, where he plays the heroic and attractive male lead.
Babygirl has received positive reviews from critics and has been nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe. The film’s thought-provoking ending sees Jacob finally willing to return to a happy relationship, but with one key difference. Their time apart has made him more willing to experiment with what Romy needs in bed, proving that Jacob is actually a good man that Romy was simply overlooking.
In the reconciliation of the two main characters, Antonio Banderas is at his most romantic. The success of his role in Babygirl may give him a chance to explore further complex romantic characters in the future.