“Baby”, review: a provocative reflection on female eroticism

Often, exploring female sexuality also involves confronting cultural and social taboos. Especially if this point of view is opposed to the conservative idea of ​​​​what a woman can do and feel. girl (2024) by Galina Rein confronts this obstacle through provocation. The film clearly shows what sexual desire can be and how many ways it can be expressed. Additionally, how does this decision directly impact how someone He sees the world and even everything that he had hitherto taken for granted.

All complex themes that the script, also written by Halina Rein, deals with unevenly. In doing so, he focuses his attention on Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman), a high-ranking executive living a privileged life in which nothing is wasted. She is successful at work, has a happy marriage and is financially able to live a carefree life. But in this landscape of idyllic happiness, something is wrong: Romy is not able to experience orgasms. Or at least experience them with her traditional husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas). a theater director who offers her love, but not excitement or challenge.

The plot awkwardly depicts this idyllic setting and more, emphasizing the idea that Romy needs much more than just a stable relationship to experience pleasure. From the film’s opening scene, where the character’s dissatisfaction is presented as a twisted mystery, one point becomes clear. To find satisfaction, ecstasy and to properly explore the erotic world she imagines, Romy will have to go through a winding, difficult and even cruel path. Much more this will push the character into uncharted territories of his sexuality.

An interesting premise that hasn’t been explored enough.

From this point of view, girl moves forward to show what it really is that Romy needs. So he turns his very young intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson) into a dark and clichéd fantasy. Young and sexually in control, he will be an open door to a dominance relationship. Which, of course, deprives Romi of all control over her as a married woman and a successful leader, and she becomes simply a slave to an unknown man. The twist is obvious enough that you can almost immediately guess what will happen next. Namely: how to balance both sides in Romy’s life.

The plot strives to show the chemistry between both the characters as the only reason for the cheating. Even her need to submit is left in the background as the film presents a scenario of irresistible temptation. Featuring some of the most explicit erotic scenes in years, the film dares to look at what a woman can do to satisfy her most extreme appetites. When the film focuses on this point of view, it achieves its most interesting sequences. In fact, he allows the plot to carefully develop, Romy’s need not only to indulge in sexual adventures – that is, of course – but also to accept orders and even the degradation of a person under his command.

Error in a complex topic

NeverthelessBaby He also tries to show the relationship between them as a trait of vileness, which he returns to in conversations and full scenes. We move from a twisted mystery to a dirty idea, which means the plot must move forward through a moral element. This is when you consider whether a modern woman wants to be attacked and involved in a relationship that is portrayed as harmful in the same film. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Romy’s fetish is more complex than just control. This argument has problems integrating all of its approaches into a coherent whole.

From questioning whether Romy wants to be mistreated as a way of release, to clarifying whether sexual role play is directly degrading. The truth is that the film fails to find the tone to tell the story, which becomes unnecessarily complex. Nor does it answer your most pressing questions. Moreover, what happens between Romy and Samuel is far from betrayal. to something more serious and complex, directly bordering on insults.

Unpleasant ending for “Baby”

What do you regret most? Baby this is that the film is divided into two very noticeable parts. The first and most skillful, in which the script focuses on showing how far Romy is willing to go for satisfaction. And what consequences does this have for her? But it’s already two o’clock the film becomes chaotic and predictable.

Especially when Samuel becomes arrogant as a self-proclaimed object of desire. Therefore, he gives free rein to the need to impose his will on Romi, going beyond the agreed framework. A situation that the film resolves quickly and without further depth. With an ending that’s disappointing because it’s obvious. girl leaves your most pressing questions unanswered. Much more serious are those who supported this argument most of the time. An unfortunate twist on its interesting central premise.