Tag: erotic thriller

BABYGIRL (2024) – Review

All ready to indulge in a holiday tradition, at least for the last couple of decades? The movie industry discovered that lots of folks do their Christmas festivities the night before and very early (depending on the kiddos maybe dawn) that day, so they want to bag up the ripped-up wrapping paper and head over to the multiplex for a flick, preferably a brand spankin’ (there’s some foreshadowing) new one. Well, that spirited indie upstart A24 (quickly becoming more of a major player) is going to get in on the action. If you’ve been extra nice for this festive season, they’ve got something naughty in store. It appears that they’ve been saving the big star power for the year’s end since they released the steamy QUEER with ex-Bond Daniel Craig a few weeks ago. And now an Oscar winner will be fogging up the auditoriums (rather than shilling for the AMC chain) in the title role of BABYGIRL.

Well, that’s the title’s character’s “role-playing” nickname. To the outside world, she’s a high-powered exec named Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman). She’s the CEO of a firm touting the benefits of AI in the workforce (hmmm…okay) and is the wife of a successful director of the Broadway stage, Jacob (Antonio Banderas). They have a deluxe Manhatten apartment and a gorgeous country estate upstate which they share with their two daughters. Eighteen-year-old Isabel (Esther McGregor) is a snarky rebel juggling several girlfriends while her kid sister Nora (Vaughan Reilly) is enamored with song and dance. When we first meet Romy and Jacob they’re enjoying some late-night lovemaking. Or so it seems. When she leaves the bedroom for a quick break, she indulges in some rough-content internet porn. The next morning it’s back to life as usual, getting the girls off to school as he prepares a new play. Romy’s got to head to the office, but first, she stops off for some “maintenance” ala facial injections and stripping down in a “freeze chamber”, all to delay “Father Time”. One morning near her offices, Romy is stunned when a stray dog dashes through the crowds to attack someone. Luckily a handsome young man intervenes and calms down the canine before any real damage occurs allowing the pet’s owner to clip its leash back on. Romy is amazed. Later on that day, there’s a “meet and greet” for the interns looking for mentors in the company’s program to develop new talent. Looking them over Romy is baffled when she recognizes one of them as that “dog whisperer” He later walks into her office, introducing himself as Samuel (Harris Dickinson) and informing her that she will be his mentor. Romy calmly states that she’s not one of the mentor candidates, but he strongly insists, putting her “off balance”. He hints that she wants to be instructed which arouses her despite her protests. Thus begins an illicit obsessive affair of dominance between the two. Can they keep it a secret from the rest of the firm? And can Romy hide it from Jacob and her daughters even as Samuel becomes more emboldened and aggressive in his pursuit of her? How far will she go to satisfy her dark desires?

Aside from the Oscar, Ms. Kidman recently received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, so it’s not a great stretch that in taking this daring role she’s not resting on her laurels. To say Romy is a complex character, full of contradictions and walking a very thin tightrope wouldn’t be an understatement. Kidman cues us into Romy by playing off several online jabs at her own “cosmetic journey”, so kudos for firing back at the trolls (daughter Isabel teases her mom about acquiring bird-like features). Still, Kidman doesn’t make Romy overly sympathetic as her emotional cravings seem to override her common sense, let alone the marital vows. All the while we see how her icy office demeanor is slowly melting away. The person applying that heat is Samuel, played with a snarky aloof quality by Dickinson, who is also very difficult to “read” as withholds any hint of overt passion. the fellow is an enigma, a very closed book, which allows us to debate his motivations. Has he targeted Romy due to an attraction, or is he going to exploit her for a “leg up” in the company? Or is it as simple as wanting major “hush money”? Dickinson barely changes his facial expressions or his tone is order to draw us toward him, much like Romy does. He’s quite a switch from her hubby, the outgoing, fiery Jacob played with great charm and empathy by Banderas. He’s a good man who is confused by this new side of the woman he adores over everything. Also of note in the cast is the talented Sophie Wilde, so compelling in the recent horror film TALK TO ME, as Romy’s assistant Esme. who unknowingly becomes the third member of the office love triangle.

This is the second English-language film directed by Dutch actress Halina Rejin, who also wrote the screenplay. It’s impressive that she’s adept at exploring the business dynamics alongside the inner workings of this upper-class family. And she makes excellent use of the Big Apple settings in addition to the lush greenery of the Mathis vacation home. The film’s main problems come as the story’s main “selling point”, the forbidden affair between the boss and underling kicks in. We’re supposed to be shocked as Romy submits completely to Samuels’s demands, but the encounters lack any real heat. Perhaps we’re meant to see this “power flip” as liberating, but it all feels like a late-night cable movie retread of late 1980’s “erotic explorations”, ala 9 1/2 WEEKS or BASIC INSTINCT. An attempted dose of danger and suspense is injected when Samuel “invades” the family (dropping off an office item) and later when Romy is pawed in a sweaty dance club as she tracks down Samuel, but it amounts to little more than titillation as we see a famous actress being edgy. When Romy’s worlds finally collide the result is more “meh” than gripping. She is supposed to be liberated by embracing her inner yearnings, but the impact on her marriage is somewhat illogical (ok, she can tell off a sleazy, work letch, so there). The film’s marketing promises fiery carnal chaos, but the lack of solid chemistry between the leads barely generates an errant spark or two in the more lurid than lustful BABYGIRL.

1.5 Out of 4

BABYGIRL opens in select theatres on Christmas Day 2024

EILEEN – Review

Finally, we’re entering into the first weekend of the final month of 2023. So naturally many of the films hitting the multiplex have the big holiday at the end of December as a setting or backdrop. Of course, they’re all upbeat celebrations full of family togetherness. Well, not always as proven a few weeks ago with the release of one of the year’s best films, THE HOLDOVERS. It’s a dark comedy centering on a split family ignoring a son. So indeed it is a bit dark, compared to this weekend’s flick, which is nearly pitch-black, closer to a film noir than comedy. And it’s a tragic drama as we observe the dismal life of a young woman named EILEEN.

Right at the start of this tale, we’re introduced to Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie), a lonely woman in her twenties living in the Boston area around sixty years ago. We first see her silently watching amorous couples in a “lover’s lane” from her wheezing ancient auto, From there she begins her daily routine, starting her “9 to 5” job as a secretary at the local boys’ detention center (and enduring loads of verbal abuse from her co-workers). Luckily she can fantasize about a hunky guard. From there she returns to the squalid shanty she shares with her boozing papa Jim (Shea Whigham), former police chief of the village. Of course, he wakes from his drunken stupor long enough to toss off some insults and bemoan the loss of his wife, Eileen’s mother. At the day’s end, she trudges up to the attic, enjoys some candy (she sucks away the coating and spits the rest out), and passes out on a flimsy cot. The alarm barely rouses her at dawn, giving her just enough time to prepare breakfast for Dad (he sticks to his bottle as he belittles her), and hope that the battered car will get her to work. Ah. but today is different. A new therapist has arrived, the blonde, sophisticated Dr. Rebecca (Anne Hathaway). After all the welcoming hoopla is done, Eileen is stunned when the sultry doc expresses interest in her life. Eventually, the two share a lunch break and even meet for a post-work cocktail at the local “watering hole”. But aside from Eileen, Dr. Rebecca is focused on one “juvie” in particular, Lee Polk (Sam Nivola), who is there after murdering his father. But will her work turn into an obsession, leading to more time “after hours” with her new friend? And could this “relationship” lead to true “freedom” for Eileen?

The title role marks another interesting performance by one of our most promising young screen actresses. Since arriving just over five years ago with her dazzling debut in LEAVE NO TRACE, McKenzie has given us several memorable characters, always smart, but often soft-spoken. The latter trait is taken to extremes by her work as the painfully shy, often “blending into the woodwork” Eileen, eyes downward as disdain is heaped upon her. She’s slowly suffocating from a yearning for human connection in order to breathe. And when that happens, McKenzie alters her facial expressions and body language to convey Eileen’s “blooming”, bursting out of that “shell”. As the instigator of that change, Hathaway ignites the dull drab settings in an interesting twist on the iconic icy “cool blondes” that Hitchcock adored. Rebecca projects an aloof superiority to those at work, so it’s a surprise when she “zeroes in” on the ignored office “drone”. Is it a seduction, perhaps even a bit of “grooming” (comparisons to Cate Blanchett as CAROL arise), or is she “playing” with Eileen, much like a cat “toying” with a mouse before the final “pounce”? It’s a splendid departure from her usual “likable” roles and Ms. Hathaway truly rises to the challenge. Rounding out the film’s “trifecta” is the always engaging Whigham who somehow is able to inject some level of sad humanity into the blustery drunkard who has basically “checked out’ of life, save for spewing venom at his daughter, and only leaving his hellish abode to stagger the street, waving his pistol while ranting about the non-Catholic “interlopers” (“Them Lutherans!”). Whigham is often a “rough around the edges” charmer, but this punishing papa adds more fuel to Eileen’s interest in her new (maybe more than) friend.

With his second feature film (hard to believe it’s been seven years since LADY MACBETH), director William Oldroyd creates a dark grimy psychological character study, working from the screenplay adaptation of Otessa Moshfegh’s novel by her and Luke Goebel. But much like his last film Oldroyd again provides us with an offbeat central woman at the story’s core, though there’s also a supporting player to empower and transform her. Plus he’s adept at throwing us a “curve” since it appears to be a somber look at some in deep emotional stress, perhaps with a real “sexual panic”, then veers into an erotic “game”, but diving into an exploration of guilt and justice (and much like a parking garage, nothing “nice” ever happens in basement settings of a movie). And though it’s set in the mid-1960s, there’s no nostalgic “glow” to be seen, rather it’s a dirty stale smoky haze with ugly dangerous cars and stifling attire. This story is full of interesting heroines and strong performances, but the last moments of the third act feel rushed and vague. Of course, we don’t always need to know the exact futures of the leads, but it just seems as though too many threads are left to dangle and fray in that cold Boston breeze. Fortunately, this uneasy finale doesn’t distract from a powerful monologue in that basement (closer to the bowels of Hell) and from the superb actresses involved who invest us in the unusual “bond” between Rebecca and EILEEN.

2.5 Out of 4

EILEEN is now playing in select theatres

FAIR PLAY (2023) – Review

Now what would be more cozy on a brisk Fall evening than a film about an office romance? Y’know, just like Pam and Jim on that TV sitcom set in the previously mentioned locale. The flirting, the smoldering glances, and the eventual declarations of affection. Ah, but what if employee intimate relationships are frowned upon, or just plain verboten, at the company? That too has been fodder for sitcoms like “The People’s Choice” and “Occasional Wife” and…I’m really, really aging myself. In this week’s new release, that notion isn’t played for laughs as the stakes are truly high. So, if all’s fair in “love and war”, then what could truly be considered FAIR PLAY when the “going gets tough” and desperate?


This tale starts with the story’s main couple full of the excitement of, often physically exhausting, romance. Twenty-somethings Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) twirl away from the dance floor of a wedding reception into the ladies’ lavatory! They don’t get “busted”, instead Luke “pops the question”. Emily gives him an excited “yes”, but insists that they keep it “under wraps” for a bit (except for their folks). The passion continues at the NYC apartment they share, allowing themselves a brief slumber before they get to work. The duo go their separate ways out of the subway. Luke arrives at the headquarters of the hedge fund firm One Crest Capital and hops into an elevator. Before the doors close, Emily also jumps in. Ah, they both work at OCC, which has a no “inter-office romance” policy (they hope to “prepare” everyone, and maybe have a “back-up plan”, before “coming clean). At their desks (several feet apart), the two, along with the rest of the staff, observe the firing of an MP (management partner) who has disappointed OCC’s tyrannical owner Campbell (Eddie Marsan). As the former MP is led away, Emily overhears some “scuttlebutt”, which she passes on to Luke: he’s next in line for the vacated spot. That night in the apartment is celebratory, only interrupted by constant nuptial calls from Emily’s abrasive mum. Finally, an important call comes through from one of the other MPs at OCC. Emily needs to join him at the preferred “watering hole”. Though it’s late she jumps in a cab, and enters the pub, but can’t find him. Oh oh, she does see Campbell. Joining him for “last call”, he offers her the MP job. She giddily accepts, but how will Luke react? Can he handle being passed over…for her? And can their engagement handle this added stress, or will “love conquer all”?

After her breakout role on the Netflix streaming sensation “Bridgerton”, Ms. Dynevor confidently dives into a most modern romance, as a woman doing her best to balance her personal and professional lives. Her Emily is smart and savvy, but never cutthroat as she tries to maneuver through the big business “boys club”. Through Dyvenor’s darting eyes and hesitant line delivery, she conveys that Emily is “weighing her words” She tiptoes, briskly, through that stock market minefield. Somehow she seems to be most careful and deliberate in her dealing with her true “partner” Luke. It’s great to see that the engaging Mr. Ehrenreich has bounced back professionally from the box office “drubbing” he endured after trying to fill some big “space boots” as Chewy’s co-pilot. Only a few months ago he shined as part of the big OPPENHEIMER ensemble, Ehrenreich utilizes that leading man charisma as the likable Luke who believes he can keep treading water and evading “the sharks”. We’re rooting for him even as we can almost smell Luke’s sweaty desperation as he strains to make the “big score” in order to be on the same level as his lady love. But can anyone keep their cool when they’re on the receiving end of a dead-eyed glare from the thuggish Campbell, played by the always impressive Mr. Marsan? He’s the seething barrel of venom as he appears to sniff out weakness and failure in his “fiefdom”. At his side is the cold-blooded sycophant, and “hatchet-man” Paul played with creepy passive-aggressive spite by with equal evil banality by Rich Sommer, in quite a change from his affable “Mad Men” role. Speaking of that classic series, one of his co-stars, Patrick Fischler has a tasty cameo as a self-help guru who seems to be throwing out a life preserver to the floundering Luke.


This modern cautionary fable marks the feature film debut of TV series veteran writer/director Chloe Domont. She has an excellent ear for workplace dialogue, matched by the quieter scenes after hours. Domont keeps the action and exchanges in low light, giving the film a claustrophobic and often intimate aura. This makes the greatest impact in those moments of raw passion, whether Emily and Luke are exploring each other’s bodies or verbally hammering away at their inner demons. Some viewers may feel quite queasy by the sexual content, but the intense emotions may prove the most unsettling. Fragile egos and ambition prove to be the true destroyers of this couple. This makes the story’s final act so frustrating as the lead characters go “off the rails” while these big “blow-ups” have consequences that don’t mesh with the established setting. And then it sputters with a final encounter that feels exploitive and violent (from verbal to visceral). The actors are compelling while in the political “Thunderdome” of Wall Street, but the script’s collapse will have many screaming foul play at the uneven FAIR PLAY.

2.5 Out of 4

FAIR PLAY is now playing in select theatres and is streaming exclusively on Netflix