Based on a 1992 novel of the same name (although it does make some pretty big changes ). Poor Things is the latest film from Yorgos Lanthimos, one of the more interesting directors working today. It is also co-produced by Irish production company Element Pictures, the fourth time they have worked with Lanthimos.
Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter, a teenage Frankenstienian (yes, that is a word ) creation who has a fast developing brain. We see her as she turns from a baby, to a toddler to a child to a teenager but all in the same adult body. It really is some great acting from Emma Stone who is having great fun.
She recently had a child herself and you can see her brilliantly mimic the way a child walks and talks. When she becomes a teenager she wants to leave behind her creator and see the world. Her creator, Godwin (who Bella calls God ) is surprisingly understanding and sends her off to Lisbon with a man who has ill intentions towards our Bella.
From there she begins a Odyssean adventure from Africa to France along the way she loses everything and gets it all back. Some of the destinations are better than others (I could have spent less time in Alexandria and more time in Marseille ) but despite it being well over two hours it does rattle along quite nicely. I will say I wasn’t loving Poor Things thirty minutes in, I can find Lanthimos’s direction a bit distracting.
The fish eye lenses and the low camera angles can annoy me. By the time the film ended however, I think it’s going to be one of my favourites of the year. I absolutely loved it and will be dragging friends to see it next week. It’s not for everyone but once you get on its level (and for me, that took awhile ), it is genuinely hilarious and surprisingly moving.
It has some very interesting thoughts on agency, sexuality and body autonomy. I’m almost surprised no one has done this before with a Frankenstein type story. On second viewing I thought it also had a lot to say about generational trauma and how to break cycles, when Bella learns more about her mother, Victoria, she makes decisions to address the mistakes her mother made.
Generational and inherited trauma is a popular term lately but this is the first time I’ve heard an interesting angle on the subject. The production design is remarkable, it’s like David Lynch meets Terry Gilliam by way of Salvador Dali, it is theatrical and surreal, all shot on a sound stage but it works.
The film is shot by Irishman Robbie Ryan. He’s probably not as well known as he should be in Ireland. He’s filmed some of the best movies released in the last 10 like 'C’mon C’mon’ in 2021 and Lanthimos last film ’The Favourite‘. Emma Stone won the Golden Globe last week and is a the front runner for the Oscar.
The rest of the cast are also great, I think this is the best I’ve ever seen Mark Ruffalo, he is absolutely hilarious. The fantastic Katheryn Hunter pops up in the second half for a great turn as a madame of a Parisian brothel where Bella works for awhile. The one that surprised me the most was Christopher Abbot who has a short part in the final quarter of the film. He almost steals the show he’s so good. I will say if you are planning on bringing a parent or going to see it as a first date. There is an insane amount of sex. I commend Emma Stone, an Oscar winning genuine Hollywood superstar for putting herself out there like that. That said I do think the sex and nudity is not very erotic or titillating, in fact it’s more used to make you laugh than turn you on.
