“I may never again have power over another human being.” This line, spoken directly to the audience, is our introduction to Rachel Weisz’s character—an unnamed college professor—in Netflix’s new black comedy Vladimir. She goes on to lament that she might never again inspire a “spontaneous erection” in a man and worries her students find her course on American female authors “passé,” joking that her subject is “a bit broad.” I was instantly hooked and watched all eight episodes in one go.

Adapted from Julia May Jonas’s 2022 novel, Vladimir follows the married, middle-aged protagonist as she becomes lustfully obsessed with a new colleague at her elite American university: the married but flirtatious young Vlad, played by Leo Woodall, who seems to relish being typecast as cougar bait (see Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy for further evidence—there’s even a similar slow-motion running scene by a pool).

So far, so familiar. There’s no shortage of horny midlife women on screen and in literature these days, from Nicole Kidman’s Romy in Babygirl to the narrator of Miranda July’s All Fours. A whole cultural genre is increasingly dedicated to exploring how desire at this stage can be truly destabilizing, especially if—like Weisz’s character—you’re trying to prove to yourself that you’ve “still got it.” When Vlad makes an offhand remark about her “seniority” during their first interaction, it sparks an all-consuming need in her to seduce him.

What sets this character apart is that she defies the archetype of the middle-aged woman who has her life together. Sure, she has a great job and a beautiful house, but her melodramatic behavior is more akin to that of an unhinged teenager. She decides to befriend Vlad’s wife because, as she says, “Thou shalt not covet your friend’s husband.” When she suspects her own husband is cheating with Vlad’s wife, she only doubles down on seducing Vlad. She blackmails, lies, tricks, spikes drinks, fakes sex, and even imprisons someone (that’s not a spoiler—it’s in the first scene). She is messy with a capital M. Stylistically, having Weisz address the audience directly as her willing co-conspirators, in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge style, draws clear parallels with one of TV’s messiest women ever: Fleabag.

Another key difference: despite all her efforts and bad behavior, the protagonist’s affair with Vlad is largely imagined. She reads his novel and masturbates. She writes about him and masturbates. Unlike Romy’s sexual awakening in Babygirl or the illicit motel trysts in All Fours, here the heroine’s fantasy remains just that. Her escapades aren’t really about Vlad, hot as he is. She knows her colleagues gossip about her academic husband’s scandalous dalliances with students (they have an open marriage), and that her own class is being overshadowed by a younger, cooler teacher. It’s about regaining control and reclaiming her sexual power—a refusal to succumb to the invisibility so often framed as inevitable for women as they age.

In truth, this sociopathic leading lady should be unlikeable. She’s not sympathetic, despite being another victim of a patriarchal society that discards women as they age. And let me be clear: I don’t find her behavior aspirational. I have no plans to drug and kidnap a Leo Woodall type anytime soon. But wow.As someone who’s turning 40 next year and still orders Domino’s when hungover or catches the wrong train, it’s refreshing—even joyful—to see a middle-aged woman who doesn’t have everything together. Sure, I have a child and a mortgage, but I can still send the occasional drunk text.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the idea that Vladimir reminds us that women can be messy at any age presented in a natural conversational tone

General Understanding

Q Who or what is Vladimir in this context
A Vladimir is a reference to a character from the 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin He is a miniature donkey belonging to one of the main characters and his innocent confused presence highlights the chaotic and often messy emotional lives of the people around him including the women

Q What does messy mean here It sounds negative
A In this context messy isnt necessarily negative It means emotionally complex contradictory unpredictable or struggling with internal conflicts Its about being humanhaving flaws making mistakes and experiencing turbulent feelings regardless of age

Q Is this saying only women are messy
A Not at all The statement specifically highlights that women can be messy at any age which is often overlooked Society sometimes expects women especially as they get older to be put together serene or wise This idea challenges that by saying complexity and chaos are human traits not tied to gender or life stage

Themes and Meaning

Q Whats the main takeaway from this idea
A The takeaway is that women like all people have rich complicated inner lives throughout their entire lives Theres no age where a woman becomes emotionally neat or has everything figured out Their struggles desires and contradictions are valid and ongoing

Q How does Vladimir the donkey remind us of this
A Vladimir is a silent witness to the drama His simple innocent animal nature acts as a foil to the intense human emotionslike jealousy loneliness bitterness and longingdisplayed by the female characters He underscores that their messiness is a fundamental part of the human story being told

Q Can you give an example of a messy older woman in stories