The Misrepresentation of Babygirl
Turns out there actually is a right (and a wrong) way to watch a movie.
Greetings Spendthrifts,
As I write this a shard of sunlight has just come creeping through my blinds, in what I hope signals if not the beginning of spring, then at least the beginning of the end of one of the gloomiest winters since records began. I have been aggressively wintering so far this year (in the Katherine May sense of the word), and so this month’s newsletter is a more culture heavy issue to reflect the sheer amount of time I’ve been spending either cosied up in front of the fire or (more often) lounging in bed.
Coming up:
A few 10/10 book recommendations, including a novel that’s just been longlisted for the International Booker Prize, and a very hyped (but potentially Marmite) ‘novel in stories’ that I personally loved.
The unexpectedly great Netflix mini-series I binged in two days.
A beautiful (and surprisingly affordable) countryside mini break destination I stayed at with friends recently, and the interiors inspiration I took from it.
Some clothes I have my eye on for when spring properly arrives (which could be any time between now and, like, June).
Lots and lots and LOTS of excellent articles, including an account of what it’s like to see a beloved former teacher accused of murder (!); a truly wild story about unveiling a teenage girl’s cyberbully, and a thought provoking read on friendships, accountability, and making amends.
And speaking of articles, a couple of pieces from the last month or two by yours truly: for HTSI I wrote about a beautiful wellness retreat in Koh Samui I visited last year (very White Lotus, but without the murder); and for this month’s Elle I wrote an essay about my penchant for ‘ugly’ things, and why my taste in fashion and interiors is increasingly leaning towards the weird…
First up though - can we talk about Babygirl?
I know, I know - you’ve probably read more than enough takes on it by now.
But mine is the correct one, so hush up and keep reading (unless you haven’t seen it yet in which case I urge you to skip the next few paragraphs. This isn’t a spoiler-heavy review but, as I explain right at the end of this piece, I think consuming too much analysis about a piece of culture before you’ve actually read or watched it yourself is increasingly detrimental to our appreciation of the arts).
Babygirl opinions among people I’ve spoken to so far seem to be fairly evenly split, as do the reviews - some people loved it, others thought it was terrible. I didn’t think it was terrible - I thought it was actually pretty good, and certainly interesting. It gave me a lot to think about, and talk about afterwards with the friend I went to see it with, which truthfully is more than alot of movies can say these days. That said, I’m not sure I found the resolution particularly satisfying, especially given director Halina Reijn’s stated intention of making an “erotic thriller”. I never really felt there was much jeopardy in Romy’s (the high-powered CEO played by Nicole Kidman) position. The notion that she could ‘lose it all’ - and the necessary tension that would have supplied - just wasn’t potent enough.
I suspect people who felt disappointed by Babygirl feel that way because it didn’t turn out to be a particularly sexy movie, as was the implicit promise of all that marketing (“the sexiest movie of the year”) and, y’know, the premise. Babygirl is sexual, rather than sexy. It’s about sex (among other things), and there’s a fair amount of it in the film but it’s... not all that erotic?
I did appreciate that Romy and Samuel’s dynamic was idiosyncratic and specific enough to seem real - this wasn’t a generic, broad-strokes portrayal of BDSM (looking at you Fifty Shades). Something I think it did very well was portray that sex between two people will always be an experience unique to them - their chemistry, their history, their desires. I didn’t ‘get’ some of what our starcrossed lovers were into, but it’s clear that they both got off on it and really, that’s all that matters when two people are having sex. That they’re both into it.
And the acting’s great! Even sitting in a theatre in Soho, palpably aware that I was Watching A Movie, I frequently felt like I was intruding on a private moment - Nicole Kidman’s character looks genuinely uncomfortable a lot of the time, and Harris Dickinson also gave a great, naturalistic performance, both of which made me squirm at points. And look, were there a few sort-of-sexy moments? Sure - but I didn’t necessarily leave with a raging crush on Dickinson the way the Internet would have you believe was an inevitability of seeing this film, nor did I think that was the point? If anything I was more attracted to Harris Dickinson before seeing the movie - he plays Samuel with a petulance and immaturity that for me, seriously undercut the attractiveness of his character. Dickinson has infinitely more rizz out of character/as himself than as Samuel, as evidenced by his hilariously unsympathetic attempt at playing ‘agony uncle’ for British Vogue:
The most unexpected part of Babygirl however, is that it’s a far more interesting and complex movie than all the marketing and ensuing discourse have made it out to be! As is often the case these days, it’s been boiled down to a few viral images and memeable moments, most of which pop up in the trailer: the glass of milk; the Father Figure dance; the phrase ‘good girl’. Just look at how A24 advertised it for Valentines’ Day:
This seems to be the only way we can consume movies (and culture) these days. I think of it as the Saltburn-ification of cinema, a movie that was little more than a series of shocking visuals and scenes designed to go viral (the bath water scene, the graveyard scene, and of course THAT final scene), loosely strung together into a plot with holes in it big enough to put your fist through and completely implausible characterisation, not to mention a twist that left me confused only because it was so plainly obvious that I was utterly baffled when it was presented as a ‘big reveal’. I felt the same way about Barbie, a movie I feel like I know intimately despite having never watched it - every memorable line or scene has been clipped and disseminated ad infinitum across the social Internet, or used for captions on Instagram (‘my job is beach’ - very original).
Everyone - audiences and filmmakers alike - seems to be looking for their Connell’s chain moment, as though that moment wasn’t created organically, as a result of us all being locked in our houses and the ensuing cabin fever that wrought.
And look, I get it. People aren’t going to the cinema anymore, it being both cheaper and easier to watch things at home when they arrive on Amazon or wherever, so whatever gets bums on seats is fair game, even if that means reducing a film to its most memeable parts. These days I’m trying to counteract that development by reading less about movies I intend to watch before seeing them, and making an effort to go see them early on, as it’s basically impossible to avoid the memes and little clips on socials if you’re as online as I am.
A movie I knew very little about before going to watch it - and subsequently really enjoyed - was Conclave, which I saw just before Christmas. I knew the rough concept of course - the selection of a new Pope - but I think the ostensibly dry subject matter meant it generated way less discourse and memes. I essentially went in blind, not knowing any of the plot points, character motivations, or personalities. I was able to be surprised (and boy was I! There was one moment where half the cinema, myself included, burst out in shocked laughter, a moment I know would have lost all impact if I’d known it was coming).
Anyway. Let me get off my soapbox.
Here are some things you might want to buy, and A LOT of things you’ll definitely want to read.