Babygirl review: Nicole Kidman took my breath away in an explicit film

There's no doubt about it, Nicole Kidman is one of the bravest actresses working in Hollywood today – and the shockingly intimate sex scenes in “Babygirl” prove it.

As a five-time Oscar nominee (and one-time winner for “The Hours” over 20 years ago), her talent was never in question.

But the courage that the 57-year-old showed to do what she sees on screen puts her in a whole new category.

And she would have deserved that at least for this most fearless sex scene – and yes, this is the actress who caused a sensation 25 years ago alongside her then husband Tom Cruise with the eroticism of “Eyes Wide Shut”.

This time, however, her male co-stars include 64-year-old Antonio Banderas, who plays her husband, and 28-year-old British rising star Harris Dickinson, who plays her lover.

Babygirl is about tech CEO Romy who gives free rein to her desire to be dominated and embarks on a steamy yet messy workplace affair with new intern Samuel (Dickinson), risking her happy family life with Jacob (Banderas) and her two daughters.

As the film progresses, we see Romy on all fours, licking milk like a cat, masturbating wildly to porn, and fantasizing about being dominated like the dog she found on the street, tame and calm: Samuel.

Kidman's face and the sounds of orgasm are also often seen – right at the beginning of the film – but it never feels exploitative of the star.

Rather, it feels like a thrilling look into the depths and confusions of female desire – “Babygirl” was written and directed by Halina Reijn – and an invitation to the audience into what is normally a very private sphere.

What's so impressive about Kidman's performance is that we see her in such an intimate and vulnerable way on the big screen.

I was really surprised by this, and the actress herself called it “revealing” and “scary” when reflecting on the release of Babygirl.

What is particularly clever, however, is that hardly any of these sex scenes contain explicit nudity.

Apart from a scene in which Romy takes off her dress for Samuel and a nipple is revealed, the perverse nature of the scene is clearly indicated by suggestive actions and dialogues.

Romy drinks a glass of milk. Samuel calls her to the table and is told to be a “good girl”. Later, she licks milk for him on all fours and eats a candy from his hand. She also sucks his fingers and chokes herself with his tie. In a moment very reminiscent of Basic Instinct, she takes off her underwear and spreads her legs.

When Samuel, during a mentoring session on her working style, made a slightly comical comment to Romy that she obviously liked being told what to do, the audience at the press screening elicited nervous giggles. So palpable was the chemistry between Kidman and Dickinson – and so obvious was the double meaning of his statement.

They are convincing as two people who feel magnetically attracted to each other and, despite their strangeness, enter into a very risky relationship.

And later, when more explicit sexual acts occur at Samuel's, er, hand, the camera is still very much focused on Kidman as Romy and her face as she experiences a pretty groundbreaking climax.

I'm not sure Kidman necessarily delivers an award-worthy performance in Babygirl, and that's not to say anything against her other than that she returns to her former, stellar form.

The Academy could also become prudish with this film, although it loves to highlight bold and innovative filmmaking moves by actors.

Banderas also falls into this category. Reijn deliberately cast an attractive, virile and masculine actor as a supportive husband who cannot fully satisfy his wife. And Dickinson does the role more than justice.

Babygirl isn't the film you're expecting either. Despite the headline-grabbing way it handles sex, it's also fascinating for its focus on the messy. Not just starting an affair, but that kind of S&M relationship where both parties are trying to figure out what they want and how to communicate it. The film also highlights the difference in how different generations view sex and relationships.

The downside of this ultra-realistic treatment is that it compromises Babygirl's pacing, so things drag and drag at various points.

It's also not the kind of film that will make you want to watch it a second time, even if it's compelling enough to make a bold statement the first time around.

Regardless, it's gratifying to see Kidman taking risks again 30 years after her debut, once again establishing her as an exciting talent in Hollywood.

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