Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Babygirl!
I saw 2024’s Babygirl, but after viewing it, I am surprised that it is not the erotic thriller that I expected it to be. Babygirl is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of 2024, with the film being of note due to the awards buzz surrounding Nicole Kidman’s performance as well as the film’s highly Sєxual storyline. The trailer and other marketing materials for Babygirl set my expectations that the film would be a serious erotic thriller with dark themes and a dramatic story, but as it turns out, Babygirl subverted by expectations.
Upon the announcement of Babygirl, I couldn’t wait for the film, as there was tons that I was particularly excited about. Nicole Kidman’s other erotic thriller, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, is one of my favorite films. On top of that, I loved Bodies Bodies Bodies, the previous film from Babygirl director Halina Reijn. Babygirl lived up to my expectations for the quality of the film when I saw it, with it being one of my favorites of 2024. However, it did not live up to my expectations for its tone.
Babygirl Includes A Surprising Amount Of Comedy For An Erotic Thriller
Setting It Apart From Other Films In The Genre
Although Babygirl is highly Sєxual and contains some pretty dark moments, it also includes a surprising amount of comedy for an erotic thriller. Babygirl is full of hilarious scenes, with some being intentional jokes designed to make the audience laugh, and others being Sєxual moments so bizarre that they can’t help but be laughed at. Moments between Romy and her daughters are sincerely very funny, which is not something that I expected going into Babygirl due to its subject matter, trailers, and Sєxual content.
On top of that, some of the funniest stuff in Babygirl comes from how Spencer tries to seduce Romy. The idea of Spencer sending Romy a glᴀss of milk only for her to chug it is hilarious, and the scene in which Spencer attempts to seductively dance to George Michael’s “Father Figure” is fantastically funny. Babygirl also features an odd scene in which Romy has to get on her hands and knees and drink from a saucer, another moment that I laughed at due to how strange it was to watch in a theater full of people.
Babygirl Plays Jacob For A Lot Of Laughs
Despite How Sad He Is
Although Babygirl mostly focuses on Nicole Kidman’s Romy and Harris Dickinson’s Samuel, there is another prominently featured character who heavily contributes to the comedy of the film: Antonio Banderas’ Jacob. In Babygirl, Jacob is Romy’s husband, with him being a theater director who doesn’t know anything about Romy’s inappropriate workplace relationship. Although Jacob is a sad character due to him being the victim of Romy’s affair, his sadness is played for laughs throughout the movie.
One of the funniest scenes in Babygirl is Jacob’s fight with Spencer, something that occurs near the end of the film. Samuel’s gag of going to church is also pretty funny, despite the character being incredibly sad in the moment. Almost every interaction between Jacob and Romy is funny due to the awkwardness that occurs thanks to Jacob’s sincere positivity and Romy’s disinterest. So, even though Jacob isn’t at the center of the erotic thriller aspect of Babygirl, he is one of the centers of the comedy.
Babygirl’s Comedy Is Crucial To Making The Erotic Thriller Work
It Makes The Tone Unique
Although I was a bit confused as to why there was so much comedy in Babygirl‘s early scenes, I soon realized that it is crucial to making the film’s erotic thriller storyline work. Babygirl uses its comedy to undercut the Sєxual tension and romantic beats throughout the film, with this juxtaposition giving Babygirl its unique tone. The film addresses the awkwardness of the vouyeristic position that the audience is in by having its comedy be apparent, with this being what makes Babygirl stand out from a movie like Fifty Shades of Grey.
Babygirl‘s comedy also allows it to get away with more. If Babygirl was played straight, Romy may be difficult to buy as a protagonist, with her being hard to sympathize with due to how she constantly jeopardizes those who are around her. However, having Babygirl feature intentional comedy means that any aspect of Romy that could be dramatically over-exaggerated actually works as a comedic beat. The bad things that Romy does become funny, with Babygirl finding the perfect balance between its comedy and its erotic thriller tone.
