Babygirl has divided audiences, with its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes starkly contrasting its critical score. Reijn’s erotic thriller is an ambitious movie with a lot of interesting things to say about desire, power, and freedom, and its confused reception reflects its multidimensionality. The ending of Babygirl in particular has several interpretations and has provoked heated discussion. As a disturbing movie, Babygirl has a 76% critical score, while its audience score is a much lower 48%.
Its critical consensus is: “Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson memorably smolder together in Babygirl, with writer-director Halina Reijn’s clinical gaze keeping this Sєxually frank thriller more provocative than prurient“(via Rotten Tomatoes). This provocativeness without salaciousness has resulted in conflicted responses from moviegoers. While positive audience reviews acknowledge that the movie is bold and vulnerable, other viewers criticize its lack of substance and plot.
Audiences Have Issues With Babygirl’s Story, Romance & Marketing
The Babygirl Trailer Focused Heavily On Its Erotic Thriller Appeal
One of the recurring pieces in audience reviews for Babygirl on Rotten Tomatoes is the disconnect between the marketing and the theatrical cut of the movie. Many viewers feel that the trailer did not represent the final product. Babygirl was marketed as a psychoSєxual thriller, leading audiences to expect a modern-day Fatal Attraction or 50 Shades of Grey. They left cinemas feeling underwhelmed by the perceived lack of chemistry and low stakes. This is a stark contrast to the critical reviews, which praise its exploration of desire and control.
Its confusing ability to be both ambitious and underwhelming rendered the divisive reception. Its perceived anticlimax is an interesting commentary on why audiences expect to see consequences for Romy’s actions. The anticlimax of the punishment fantasy reflects Romy’s conflict and provokes an inward questioning of what viewers want to see. This said, the movie ending with an actual climax did nothing to satisfy audiences because important subplots seemed left on the cutting room floor.
Babygirl’s Poor Audience Score On Rotten Tomatoes Hasn’t Hurt The Movie Too Much
Babygirl Is Enjoying Major Box Office Milestones
Despite the turbulent reviews from both audiences and critics, Babygirl has become one of A24’s highest-grossing movies with its impressive box office performance. Even if the movie is not loved by audiences universally, it has certainly started a conversation. Amid its mixed ratings, Babygirl has set a shocking movie record for Nicole Kidman, and no matter what people think of the movie overall, the consensus is that her performance is a major strength. Kidman is not afraid of taking creative risks and unconventional roles, which tends to fare better with critics.
Its nuance and ambiguities have sparked a fascinating conversation.
Romy herself bemoans how much focus she has put on the psychoSєxual impact of her cult childhood, which is why Babygirl fails to elaborate on her backstory. However, these forms of meta-commentary can translate as frustrating to audiences, whose key complaints about the narrative are promising subplots that are not interrogated meaningfully. The overall effect of this is an ambitious film that only dips its toe into the many things it wants to express. However, its nuance and ambiguities have sparked a fascinating conversation about the power dynamics between multiple characters in Babygirl.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
