Poor Things

Image credit: Wikipedia

There are any number of things that make us want to go and see a particular film. The genre, the director, the actors, etc... One of the most interesting things in the world is when one reason to go and see a film cancels out a reason not to. I have this sort of relationship with Yorgos Lanthimos. While I do enjoy a strange and off-centre movie, Lanthimos’ works have often left me feeling unsettled and disturbed and this was the reason I put off going to see his latest for so long. But I do love Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe. The Favourite was the first film in which my love for the actors (Stone and Olivia Coleman) cancelled out my hesitation to sit through another Lanthimos film and now it has happened again with Poor Things. And I am glad that I decided to take myself to the movies and give the film a try because it’s truly a gem, absolutely deserving of all the great praise it’s been getting.

Poor Things tells the story of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a reanimated corpse brought back to life with the brain of her unborn child in her adult body. Found after her suicide by eccentric and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter, Bella is resurrected and then raised in his home with her mental faculties growing at a fascinating speed. When she begins to reach sexual maturity, Godwin decides that she should marry his assistant, but this plan is thrown into disarray when the lawyer hired to finalise the unique contracts becomes besotted with Bella and whisks her away to travel with him. As Bella sees more of the world and the way it works, she becomes fascinated, horrified, and inspired to leave her mark and make the world better, regardless of anyone says.

While Poor Things still has a dark and twisted edge that is very unique to Lanthimos’ films, I found that I was not so unsettled by this film, rather much more fascinated and curious to see where the story would take its compelling heroine. The outlandish setting, narrative, costumes, and cinematic techniques give it a particularly heightened sense of voyeurism, which in turn piques a delightful cinematic experience: bubbles in the stomach and a heady buzz knowing that you’re peeking into a world that you maybe shouldn’t. Lanthimos uses a fascinating fade-in from black and white, to sepia, to overbright colour to tell the various chapters of the story and mark the milestones of the heroine and the use of the fishbowl lens during particular scenes really heightens the sense that we’re peeping in at something that’s not for us. It’s devilish and delightful.

We then have these absolutely incredible costumes by Holly Wadington and set and art design, decoration, and direction by a team of absolute maestros that add to the eccentric vibe and make the film the visual treat that it is.

Image credit: nme.com

But truth be told it is the performances that really snatch and hold the attention and wonder of the audience. Stone is phenomenal beginning the film as a sweet and naive child you want to protect and then transforming into a smart woman that you want to support. Throughout the film she retains this fantastic carte blanche that’s adorable when she’s in her child-brain stage and both hilarious and cutting in her adult stage. Willem Dafoe is very sweetly paternal and loving toward Bella and manages to express so much emotion that pushes past the impressive makeup that disfigures his face. This then adds a delicious layer of humour to his performance, as many of his scenes are delivered with a blunt and seemingly unfeeling, scientific, tone. Mark Ruffalo as the rakish lawyer is brilliantly hilarious and ridiculous, showcasing a fabulous fall from grace that really satisfies. Half the time you don’t know whether to slap him senseless or feel sorry for him.

Poor Things is a devilishly delightful film that I would thoroughly recommend. It’s a visual treat filled with romance, drama, and plenty of dark and twisted comedy. I loved it.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023

Cast: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Kathryn Hunter, Vicki Pepperdine, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Suzy Bemba & Hanna Schygulla