Sex in cinema is back, baby. 2024 has been a banging year at the movies thanks to steamy fare like Rose Glass’s neo-noir thriller Love Lies Bleeding, Luca Guadagnino’s love-triangle drama Challengers, Sean Baker’s sex-worker-centered comedy Anora, and last, but certainly not least, Halina Reijn’s May-December drama Babygirl.
Written and directed by Bodies Bodies Bodies helmer Reijn, Babygirl has earned dynamic buzz out of its Venice Film Festival premiere, from which Nicole Kidman was awarded the Volpi Cup for her riveting performance as the female lead. As she has in daring productions like Eyes Wide Shut, The Paperboy, and Big Little Lies, Kidman rejects her polished persona as a megawatt star (and AMC advocate), embracing a messy journey of sex and danger.
The 25 best movies of 2024, and where to watch them
Yet Babygirl stands out among these other sexy films and series by keeping the playfulness of fucking fiercely at the center of its willfully problematic romance. In that, even the seediest sequence has a bit of sweetness ground in.
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