Romy’s past still haunts her as Babygirl’s ending leaves room for interpretation

Babygirl, released on December 25, 2024, offers a provocative exploration of power dynamics, s*xual desire, and the complexities of human relationships. Directed by Halina Reijn, the film follows Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman), a powerful CEO of a tech company.

While Romy seems to have her work life under control, Babygirl delves into her personal struggles, particularly her complicated relationship with Samuel, an intern at her company. The film addresses themes of power and desire, prompting viewers to think about the long-term consequences of Romy’s decisions.

As the story goes on, Romy's seemingly perfect life starts to fall apart when she gets involved in an affair with Samuel. The film shows Romy as a woman trying to find happiness in both her job and her personal life, but she can't find this fulfillment in her marriage.

Romy's relationship with Samuel provides her with physical satisfaction and a sense of control. However, it eventually causes problems with her family and coworkers. Although Romy experiences personal growth, Babygirl hints that some struggles are tough to overcome. This makes viewers question if Romy's new strength can truly change her past.

The ending of Babygirl: Uncertainty lingers

A still from Babygirl (Image via Prime Video)

The ending of Babygirl has a lot of deep emotions and unclear situations, leaving many questions about Romy's future. When her affair with Samuel is revealed, her life becomes very chaotic. The film ends with a surprising reconciliation between Romy and her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas).

During this moment, Romy has her first org*sm with him, marking an important step in her emotional and s*xual growth.

As Samuel prepares to go to Japan, the movie doesn't provide a clear ending. Romy struggles between wanting to be independent and her family responsibilities, leaving the film's ending open to different interpretations.

Romy’s past: The unseen ghosts that shape her present

Romy's emotional and mental struggles are central to Babygirl. In the film, she struggles with hidden feelings and problems from her childhood. Romy's childhood, spent in a commune she compares to a cult, greatly affected how she views control and submission.

The film hints at Romy's past, especially when she thinks about her hidden fantasies of control and submission. She has kept these desires to herself because of what society and her own beliefs expect from her.

Despite appearing successful as a CEO, Romy struggles with unresolved personal issues. Her relationship with Samuel isn't just an act of rebellion against her marriage; it also allows her to confront aspects of herself that she hasn't fully dealt with.

This relationship helps her explore her desires and regain control over a part of her life influenced by society's expectations. As the movie progresses, it becomes evident that Romy’s past still affects her, even as she tries to change who she is.

Romy’s affair with Samuel: Power dynamics and emotional turmoil

The plot of Babygirl moves around the rocky relationship between Romy and Samuel. Their intense connection, both emotionally and physically, is based on unequal power. Samuel questions Romy's authority at work, leading their relationship to become more personal and s*xual.

Romy is attracted to Samuel’s confidence and assertiveness, even though she is unsure at first. Seeing her vulnerability, Samuel initiates a relationship where he is dominant and she is submissive. This relationship mixes feelings of attraction with manipulation.

As their relationship grows, Romy gets caught up in a complicated situation of s*xual and emotional control. Samuel's ability to take charge around Romy makes her both excited and scared. She starts to wonder about her own wants and reasons, realizing that her marriage to Jacob lacks the emotional and physical satisfaction she needs.

Samuel symbolizes the control Romy has been looking for, and their relationship helps her become more aware of her feelings. As the affair starts to mess up her life, Romy has to face the impact of her choices on her job and her family.

Esme’s confrontation: The revelation of Romy’s secret

Romy's affair becomes a big issue when her assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde), finds out and confronts her. Esme's threat to reveal Romy's secret unless she gets what she wants is a key moment in the film.

This confrontation forces Romy to face the consequences of her actions. She confesses the affair to her husband, Jacob, expressing her unhappiness in their marriage. Jacob, feeling betrayed, tells Romy to leave the house.

Even though her affair caused a lot of harm, Romy's decision to share her feelings with Jacob shows that she is changing how she feels. The film shows a moment for Romy where she finally accepts her feelings and stops hiding what she wants or holding back her frustrations.

This openness shows the complexity of Romy's character. Her journey toward emotional and s*xual happiness is full of both external and internal challenges.

Reconciliation and acceptance: Final step in Romy’s journey

At the end of Babygirl, Romy and Jacob start to make up, showing that their relationship could improve. They act out a scene from Romy's relationship with Samuel, which ends with Romy having her first org*sm with Jacob.

As they work to repair their relationship, there is still a feeling of uneasiness that remains. Romy's journey is not finished yet. Although she has found some personal happiness, her past and the feelings that come with it are still with her.

Babygirl is available to stream on Prime Video.

Edited by Shubham Soni