top-tier directors and actors. Although the end of Kidman and Cruise’s marriage was a tabloid fiasco, before they split, they managed to make one truly all-time great film together.

While many might point to Kidman's Oscar-winning turn as Virginia Woolf in The Hours or Stanley Kubrick film has stood the test of time and only become more acclaimed as the years since.

Why Eyes Wide Shut Is Still Nicole Kidman's Best Movie

Stanley Kubrick's final film was also his highest-grossing release

Eyes Wide Shut was Kubrick’s final movie, as the director died of a heart attack six days after presenting the final cut of the film to Warner Bros. As an R-rated erotic mystery, this film offers a haunting glimpse into a mask-wearing secret society that engages in explicit nightlong sexual orgies. With Cruise as Dr. Bill Harford and Kidman as his wife Alice, Eyes Wide Shut was a fascinating exploration of sex, marriage, fidelity, and trust that saw the stability of the couple’s relationship spiral out of control after Alice itted she had fantasized about infidelity.

While Eyes Wide Shut is often praised as Kubrick’s final masterpiece and much of the conversation has revolved around Cruise’s encounters with the secret society, Kidman’s raw, intimate, and psychologically layered portrayal of Alice deserves just as much acclaim. As a vulnerable of a woman grappling with desire, Kidman revealed a profound inner life that was integral to the film's success. Through an unmatched expression of repression and marital dissatisfaction, Kidman’s performance became all the more compelling when considering her genuine relationship with Cruise likely informed it.

It Might Not Top Eyes Wide Shut, But Nicole Kidman's Recent Work Is Still Some Of Her Best

Nicole Kidman has continued working with the best directors around

It’s true that Eyes Wide Shut remains Kidman’s crowning achievement as an actress, but that’s not to say she hasn’t continued doing excellent work in the years since. In recent years, Kidman has continued working with some of the best directors around, and over the past few decades, has had roles in movies by the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos, Sofia Coppola, Aaron Sorkin, and Robert Eggers. It’s not just Kidman’s performances that have been trailblazing, as she’s also made a pledge (via Variety) to work with a female director at least every 18 months.

Kidman’s recent work has solidified her status among the greatest actors working today, and Eyes Wide Shut marked a turning point in her career, leading to more serious and prestigious roles. It’s not just in film that Kidman has excelled, as recent television performances in HBO series like Big Little Lies and The Undoing showcased her talents in long-form dramas on the small screen. With Nicole Kidman’s recent role as a high-powered CEO embroiled in an ill-advised affair with a younger man in Babygirl standing as one of her finest performances, it’s clear this Academy Award-winning actress is still taking risks.

Source: Variety