The film stars Nicole Kidman as a high-powered CEO who puts her career and family on the line when she begins an affair with a much younger intern (Harris Dickinson).

Romy Mathis, the CEO of a robotic process automation company in New York City, is dissatisfied with her sex life with her husband, Jacob, a theater director.

[22][23] The affair in the film was set in an American workplace because the stricter hierarchy and rules in the U.S. compared to Europe was felt by the filmmaker to make such a relationship feel even more forbidden and taboo.

[26][27] She also credited her passion for the erotic thrillers of the 1980s and 1990s, particularly those by directors Paul Verhoeven and Adrian Lyne, as the inspirational driving force behind her decision to make this film.

"[32] Dickinson noted that the limited pre-filming interaction between him and Kidman ultimately benefited the project, as it allowed them to build trust and work together with kindness, enhancing the authenticity of their on-screen dynamic.

[4] On January 30, 2025, A24 announced that Babygirl had exceeded $50 million in global box office revenue, securing its place among the studio’s top ten highest-grossing films worldwide.

[8] In the United States and Canada, Babygirl was released alongside Nosferatu, A Complete Unknown, and The Fire Inside, and was projected to gross around $7 million from 2,115 theaters in its five-day opening weekend.

[68] The film achieved strong performance in international markets, with notable success in countries such as Ukraine, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Romania, France, Spain, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

The website's consensus reads: "Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson memorably smolder together in Babygirl, with writer-director Halina Reijn's clinical gaze keeping this sexually frank thriller more provocative than prurient.

[54] Michelle Goldberg of The New York Times observed that "On the cusp of our terrible new era, it felt, for all its darkness and perversity, like an artifact of a more optimistic moment, when equality seemed close enough at hand that the orgasm gap between men and women – something the movie's director, Halina Reijn, often talks about in interviews – could be a subject of serious concern.

He also mentioned Dickinson's performance as "an inspired piece of casting, manifesting like a monster from the id with his dorky, knife-and-fork haircut and clothes that he appears to have put on with a shovel.

"[74] Nicholas Barber of the BBC lauded Reijn's gritty, indie-style direction in Babygirl, highlighting how she avoids the usual Hollywood neo-noir gloss, choosing instead to expose the raw, unpolished truth behind moments like the intern's arrival at the family's retreat or the co-worker's discovery of the affair.

He mentioned Dickinson was "a magnetic screen presence", Kidman was "in spectacular form, swinging from outrage to fear to ravenously lustful consent", Wilde brought "sly notes of humor".

"[77] In a more critical review, Xan Brooks of The Guardian stated, "for all its excited carnality and seesawing power struggles, the film's thrills feel machine-tooled and vacuum-packed.

"[78] In contrast, Owen Gleiberman of Variety praised the overall film as "a shrewdly honest and entertaining movie about a flagrantly 'wrong' sadomasochistic affair" and he termed Kidman's performance "fearless".

He highlighted Nicole Kidman's performance as "ferociously good, convincing utterly as this formerly level-headed careerist whose deeply buried, long-denied appetites are simultaneously proving her making and downfall.

"[81] Alison Willmore of Vulture described the film as "a self-love story," emphasizing that part of its message is about the importance of allowing oneself to be vulnerable and to "let yourself be small for a while.

However, she praised Antonio Banderas, Nicole Kidman, Halina Reijn, and Cristobal Tapia de Veer for their standout contributions to the film.

He pointed out that Catherine Breillat had already addressed similar themes more skillfully in Last Summer, and criticized Reijn for lacking the nuance needed to elevate the film into something more meaningful.

[90] Nick Schager of The Daily Beast mentioned that the film featured a standout performance from Kidman as a woman on a daring quest for self-discovery and fulfillment, and delivered a bold and entertaining cinematic jolt.

[91] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times praised Banderas's performance as he served as a steady presence, with a standout moment later in the story showcasing his formidable acting prowess.

[112][113] The film's impact extends beyond box office success, gaining attention in the U.S. for its viral milk scene and the resurgence of George Michael’s Father Figure.

[142][143] The milk scene became so iconic and widely shared that Kidman humorously recreated it during her acceptance speech for Best Actress at the National Board of Review Awards.

[144] At the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, Chelsea Handler and Ralph Fiennes brought a touch of humor and homage to the ceremony by recreating the iconic milk-scene moment.

[145] The film sparked a wave of social media engagement, with fans recreating memorable moments such as Dickinson dancing to George Michael’s Father Figure and Kidman’s striking poses-standing in a corner and lying on the floor.