Nicole Kidman's film Babygirl has sparked plenty of debate since its release, with audiences split over whether the drama is a bold, empowering piece of cinema or simply overhyped. The film sees Kidman play a high-powered CEO who enters into a complicated dynamic with her much younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson.
A film that's divided audiences
Despite a strong critical score and awards buzz, viewer reactions have been mixed. Some praised the performances but felt the pacing dragged, while others felt the film's more provocative elements didn't land the way they were intended. Other reviewers were far more enthusiastic, with several outlets praising Kidman's performance and the film's frank approach to depicting female desire, and audiences in cinemas reportedly reacting audibly during some of the film's more charged moments.
Dickinson addresses the backlash
Speaking about the reaction to the film, Dickinson addressed reports that some journalists at an early press screening had described feeling uncomfortable and unsettled by certain scenes. He said he wasn't surprised by that response, arguing it was in some ways exactly what the film was designed to provoke.
He suggested that discomfort with the film's content might say more about the viewer's own relationship with the themes it explores than about the film itself, adding that the story is intentionally confronting and isn't for audiences looking purely for escapist entertainment.
A film that's kept people talking
Babygirl has become one of Kidman's most discussed projects in recent years, arriving around the same time as her split from husband Keith Urban. The film's director has previously defended the story's central relationship publicly, arguing that age-gap dynamics like the one depicted deserve to be treated as more normal on screen. Whatever side of the debate people land on, the film has clearly succeeded in sparking a real conversation about sexuality, power, and desire in modern cinema.
