| Director | Halina Reijn |
|---|---|
| Budget | $20 million |
| Box office | $64.7 million |
Romy Mathis, the CEO of a robotic process automation company in New York City, is dissatisfied with her sex life with her husband, theater director Jacob. On the way to work one day, she is almost attacked by a loose dog until a young man named Samuel calms it down and returns it to its owner. He turns out to be an intern at Romy's company, who picks her as his "mentor" through the company's mentorship program.
Samuel propositions Romy during a private meeting, she initially objects, but gives in and kisses him. Conflicted about the incident, the two later meet at a hotel. Romy expresses concern that she may be taking advantage of Samuel due to their power imbalance, but Samuel retorts that he is the one with the power, as he could get her fired "with just one phone call". The two have a sexual encounter with Samuel playing the role of a dominant partner, resulting in Romy having an intense orgasm after which she sobs, with deep conflict about her enjoyment of this experience. The two continue to meet at multiple rendezvous, their sexual affair gaining considerable intensity.
Samuel continues to push boundaries. In one instance, he appears at Romy and Jacob's country home, ingratiating himself with the entire family under the pretense of returning a laptop Romy left at the office. Feeling disrespected, Romy lashes out at Samuel and orders him to never show up at her home again. In the ensuing argument, Samuel threatens to request a transfer to a different department, which Romy objects to, fearing she will be questioned about her role in his transfer request.
As Romy's stress continues to build, she eventually admits to Jacob that she has never experienced an orgasm with him. Desperate, she meets with Samuel to convince him to continue their affair. He agrees after Romy confirms her submission to him. Soon afterward, Samuel appears at her house uninvited again for her daughter Nora's birthday party, having been brought by Esmée, Romy's executive assistant, whom he is dating.
Esmée informs Romy that she knows about her affair with Samuel and implores her to end it, as she is one of the few high-ranking women in the company and needs to remain a respectable role model. Romy later confesses the affair to Jacob, but is dishonest about the nature of her and Samuel's relationship, instead describing it as a one-night stand with a stranger. She attempts to express her sexual needs to Jacob, but he is too distraught over her infidelity to listen.
Romy retreats to their country house, where Jacob later arrives to find her talking with Samuel. A fight breaks out between the two men. After the fight winds down, Jacob says that female masochism is a mere neurosis or male construct, but Samuel calls this a dated idea, causing Jacob to suffer a panic attack. Samuel calms Jacob down with an embrace then leaves. Encouraged by her teenage daughter Isabel, Romy decides to reconcile with Jacob.
A board member informs Romy that Samuel has taken a new job in Japan. He asks if she had anything to do with Samuel leaving, implying that he knows about the affair and invites her to his house. Disgusted, Romy firmly states that she is unafraid of him and orders him out.
A while later, Romy and Jacob have rekindled their romance and sex life. At home, they reenact the type of rough sex that Samuel introduced to Romy and she climaxes while imagining Samuel playing with the dog that had attacked her in the hotel room that Romy and Samuel had shared earlier in the film.