Why a 24-year age gap feels more taboo in the American workplace
In short: In the rigid hierarchies of American corporate life, a power imbalance creates a unique brand of forbidden fruit. Director Halina Reijn chose this specific setting to heighten the tension of an affair between a high-powered CEO and her young intern, exploring how professional rules amplify sexual taboo.
Directed by Halina Reijn, 'Babygirl' follows Romy Mathis, a 49-year-old CEO of a robotic process automation company. The narrative centers on her affair with Samuel, a 25-year-old intern. While the film explores a significant 24-year age gap, Reijn specifically chose an American workplace for the setting. She observed that American workplace regulations and rigid structures differ from European ones, rendering such liaisons seem more illicit and prohibited.
The film serves as a clinical exploration of the 'orgasm gap' and women's relationships with their bodies. The screenplay was conceived by Reijn upon learning of a lady who lacked an orgasm during a 25-year wedlock. The story depicts Romy's internal conflict as she navigates a dynamic where Samuel—despite his lower corporate rank—claims power over her, threatening to get her fired with a single phone call.
The production was shaped by the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which pushed the release from summer to Christmas 2024. The film received critical acclaim for its gritty, indie-style direction, which avoids typical Hollywood gloss to expose the raw truth of the affair. The production yielded $64.7 million from a $20 million investment, becoming a hit and securing Nicole Kidman the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
The film also functions as a subversion of genre tropes. Critics noted that while it shares visual DNA with 'Secretary' and 'Indecent Proposal,' it offers a unique reversal of those dynamics. By focusing on Romy's psychological vulnerability and the specific power mechanics of the corporate world, the film aims to normalize age-gap relationships where women are the older partners.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Babygirl
- Also: Wikidata — Babygirl · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Babygirl · CC0
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