Some viewers praised the acting but criticized the pacing. One tweeted: “The storyline moves at a slow pace with an overly repetitive plot. It also wasn’t as sexy as I was hoping.” Others dismissed the erotic aspects entirely: “Babygirl is about as perverted as pink fuzzy handcuffs.”
By contrast, many highlighted Kidman’s daring performance and the film’s frank portrayal of female sexuality. NME awarded four stars, describing it as a “sexed-up thriller” that makes Fifty Shades of Grey “seem vanilla.” The Independent also gave it four stars, calling it “unabashedly, giddily sexy.”
Audience reactions in theaters have been equally expressive, with one Letterboxd reviewer noting: “The way my entire screening moaned and gasped when Harris Dickinson said the first ‘good girl.’”
Harris Dickinson responds to “appalling” reactions
Dickinson addressed some of the backlash, particularly from viewers unsettled by Kidman’s submissive role in the film.
He recalled that at an early press screening, a handful of journalists were reportedly “appalled” and found the scenes disturbing.
“No way!” Dickinson said, per The Independent. “That’s very on the nose in terms of what this film’s about.”
He added: “It’s very confronting. It’s a bit provocative. And if you’re uncomfortable with it, maybe it speaks to what you’re potentially going through in terms of repression, right? It asks questions. But there are people that don’t want to watch cinema like that. They’re more interested in escapism, or going to something that is purely fantasy.”
Babygirl ignites conversation about sexuality on screen
From critical acclaim to viral audience reactions, Babygirl is one of Kidman’s most talked-about and divisive projects in recent years, especially amidst her recent split from husband, Keith Urban.
The film’s director also previously hit out at the controversy surrounding the flick, stating that age-gap relationships should be “normalized”.
Whether praised as daring or criticized as underwhelming, it’s clear the film has captivated public attention and sparked meaningful conversations about sexuality, power dynamics, and female desire on screen.