Nicole Kidman presents herself as someone who is voracious and power hungry. The title of Babygirl speaks for itself. Written and directed by Halina Reijn, the boundaries of the film go instantly awry. There is no filter to the film’s content or the norms to be violated. Babygirl is steamy! The more lines that are crossed, the more damage that is bound to be done.  Babygirl creates a dynamic where rules and superiors do not see eye-to-eye. Safety is only guaranteed when unwritten rules go unbroken. The writing has blurred lines in which violations lead to tension and the greater the risks, the more vivid the moments are. Babygirl is unlike anything I have seen before.

In the film, Kidman plays Romy, a well-known, successful CEO. She is persistent and always aiming to be at the top of her game. Her husband is Jacob (played by Antonio Banderas) and he works in the arts. The portrait is painted like they are one happy family until a young intern comes into her life. This intern is Samuel (played by Harris Dickinson) and he has a personality that is straightforward and belittling. He also plays his cards in a disturbing way to blindside. His nice guy attitude and his attention is irresistible for Romy. Soon, she finds herself in an affair with Samuel. With late night parties and secret hookups, Romy finds herself in bizarre place, both emotionally and on the job. It is only a matter of time before Romy and Samuel’s altered judgment lead to irreparable consequences.

As someone who grew up in and around professional business environments, Babygirl spoke to me and caused my head to swirl with thoughts about difficult workplace challenges. What are the penalties of making bad choices? Who is at fault? There is no positive advice in Babygirl. Both parties make poor choices, and the material portrays suggestive scenarios which are cinematically enticing and intriguing. The CEO status does not matter much in Babygirl, but the impact does.

The film has a theme of soul-searching which proves thought-provoking yet stressful and intriguing. The couple’s deep connection is morally wrong. The CEO’s ego finds itself in peril, and Kidman displays desires that she cannot control. Dickinson’s character has the upper hand as the dominant and Kidman plays the submissive. The competition for who pushes the boundaries harder is like watching a video game with two players trying to beat the levels of self-control.

The age differential causes lethal suspense in Babygirl. The writing focuses on the issues related to Kidman as a middle-aged executive and Dickinson as an evolving adult intern. There are ways in which both have an upper hand, but neither can escape the detrimental career and personal consequences of their actions. Babygirl is the death match of ageism played out in an office setting.

The entire film illustrates examples of the various violations possible in the workplace. The atmosphere and characterizations are bold and engrossing, especially when there are kinky games and threatening scenarios. The display of human darkness is immense and lead to on going instances of being blindsided.What will the outcome be for the CEO’s family? Will innocence and irresistibility lead to shocking and edgy discoveries?

Babygirl had me sold. It is a hard R with many revolving doors waiting to be opened. Kidman and Dickinson are a pair destined for extravagant destruction.  Audiences will be left thinking about how much reassessing will need to come into play givenhow out of hand the situation gets. Kidman and Dickinson are a combative duo fueling the fire with each other. Regardless of how insane it gets, it is superb. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.