Babygirl: A Film Discussion

[PrettyLilPussy19]

A new movie from the brilliant minds at A24 is coming out (in the US) on Christmas and my my my, it is NOT family friendly.

Babygirl staring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, and Antonio Banderas looks to be an erotic thriller with heavy notes of bdsm.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the trailer. Historically, do you like film portrayals of kink dynamics? Does this one look any more or less realistic? How do you feel about the age difference portrayed? The play on power dynamics? How do you feel about the possible 50 Shades of Gray effect?

I know you can only infer so much from a 2 minute trailer but I'm curious to hear your thoughts!

 

[Ssbbw4u1974]

I think it's going to be very erotic for sure..

I'm 50, and just can't picture myself being submissive to someone younger than me.

But, it looks good

 

[DirtyMarine]

Combine 50 shades, Indecent Proposal, Eyes Wide Shut, and others like that.

 

[PrettyLilPussy19]

I think it's going to be very erotic for sure..

I'm 50, and just can't picture myself being submissive to someone younger than me.

But, it looks good

I think the age flip is interesting. I agree with you on the head but it'd be interesting to see if someone younger could have that kind of confidence and wield a kind of power for me.

 

[Dreamliner]

It will be all in the words, the sentences, how they are said. 50 shades was weak. This looks like it might just have the right psychological touch.

 

[Ash999]

I dunno' about partner but the latest soft BDSM Release " Babydoll " is how the moviegoers can view a high powered single Lady Exec's sub-maso fetishes/Fantasies.....View attachment 2454935View attachment 2454936

 

[IrisAlthea]

I think the age flip is interesting. I agree with you on the head but it'd be interesting to see if someone younger could have that kind of confidence and wield a kind of power for me.

I’m about a handful of years younger than Nicole Kidman iirc and I think it’s more about personality than age.
This looks like a pretty large age gap but he definitely comes off ”adult male”. I’d find the work relationship thing and previous committments a bigger issue, personally.

 

[southern_sweety]

Has anybody seen the film? I watched it on Wednesday and I’m curious to know what other people’s reactions are.

 

[Kittenheels54]

Has anybody seen the film? I watched it on Wednesday and I’m curious to know what other people’s reactions are.

I saw it…
I thought it was weird
Not at all what I was expecting
What’d you think?

 

[southern_sweety]

I saw it…
I thought it was weird
Not at all what I was expecting
What’d you think?

Okay, that’s how I felt!! But all the mainstream reviews and criticism I’m seeing is praising this movie so highly.

I had a few issues with it but mostly it boils down to I couldn’t understand anyone’s motivations for their behavior. I also struggled a lot with trying to analyze “what is the big statement here about powerful women and power dynamics?” Because it seems like a movie that is trying to Say Something but after a few days of thinking about it, I don’t know what? Also, for an erotic thriller, I didn’t find the story all that sexy or surprising.

That’s even leaving out the BDSM specific issues because I’m not really in the community in any real way and I think it’s pretty clear by the end that it’s not actually meant to be an example of a healthy, consensual relationship.

 

[PrettyLilPussy19]

I finally got to dive into Babygirl (better late that never?) I really liked it as a movie - great acting, amazing music, cinematography, costumes - all on point. And more to the point I found it incredible relatable - not in the details (not a millionaire CEO sorry to say) but in the emotions and intentions. So much so that a lot of it actually feels really private to share so ... a few bullet points that I took away. (I may add more as they occur to me.)

• Romy had known her nature (submission, masochism, degradation) for her whole live and fought against it. Which is why when she found someone whose nature resonated with hers there was a instantaneous connection.
• The need to be seen and understood without having to actually explain. Someone seeing the truth of you and choosing you anyway ... powerful stuff. And it was also reflected in how hard it was to put her needs into words at home. Having someone demand that you "say it" or "show me" puts you in such a delicious, uncomfortable, vulnerable place and if you're wired a certain way well... <waggled eyebrows>
• The relationship with her husband being loving and solid and so valuable to her that she couldn't actually express herself to him because of her fear of what he would say. The danger involved heightening the dynamic and the intensity being all consuming.
• The ability for him to compartmentalize as a Dominant and her inability to do so because she'd made all the promises and done everything he asked. I don't know that submission always costs more but for her it clearly did. The possessive feelings when she sees him with his girlfriend which makes no logical because (see above) happily married. Dynamics are so complex.
• The ultimate fragility of Domination when any kind of rejection or denial happens. At first, I wanted to be very boring and say "male ego" but I think it's more the Dominant personality type. There is a necessity for control for loads of good, important and consensual reasons but when he had a moment of no control, he couldn't handle it very well, and made her pay for making him feel that.
• The combination of power dynamics - sexual, relational, age, work - really covered all the bases and not just in the main relationship. It really shows knowledge to be the most important power dynamic.
• The themes of unleashing a beast or finding your primal self - especially for women who haven't been as encouraged to do that - was really good. The differences in her pretty, perfect "faked" orgasm and her real, primal, giving into pleasure orgasm --- rawr!

I think it had plenty of faults and I expect a place like Lit to call them out well and fairly - the consent talk happened way too late, he pushed her boundaries, there was an uncomfortable amount of coercion (that she was into but could set a bad precedent), the issues with infidelity, etc - but it was nice to see myself in a broad way in a character for all her many flaws. (The score might have been my favorite part ultimately)

 

[cascadiabound]

Thanks @BiBunny for your thoughts. Makes me want to see it now, when I had kinda decided against it earlier.

 

[Neanderthal247]

A new movie from the brilliant minds at A24 is coming out (in the US) on Christmas and my my my, it is NOT family friendly.

Babygirl staring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, and Antonio Banderas looks to be an erotic thriller with heavy notes of bdsm.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the trailer. Historically, do you like film portrayals of kink dynamics? Does this one look any more or less realistic? How do you feel about the age difference portrayed? The play on power dynamics? How do you feel about the possible 50 Shades of Gray effect?

I know you can only infer so much from a 2 minute trailer but I'm curious to hear your thoughts!

I bought up this movie recently in a thread in the PG, someone showed me this post, I am just checking it out now.

 

[TnA4U]

I wasn't terribly thrilled with it. But it could have something to do with my vanilla husband man-splaining Romy's desires and state of mind to me all through it.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

I wasn't terribly thrilled with it. But it could have something to do with my vanilla husband man-splaining Romy's desires and state of mind to me all through it.

Wow. Rather presumptuous of him.

 

[TnA4U]

Wow. Rather presumptuous of him.

He's unaware of my, shall we say, proclivities. I was amused.

 

[puppett]

I think the age flip is interesting. I agree with you on the head but it'd be interesting to see if someone younger could have that kind of confidence and wield a kind of power for me.

personally i think it would be hard to believe (acting movie wise)
irl though i can see that. because its almost more about the mindset of the sub