The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.
Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) is a woman revived by a mad scientist whom she refers to as God (Willem Dafoe). Despite her physical age, Bella acts like a toddler. Tired of being sheltered, she runs off with a lawyer named Duncan (Mark Ruffalo) and matures during her travels.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos always makes weird films. “Poor Things” is no exception here. It is hard to describe this film as it’s so outlandish. It is a twist on the Frankenstein story. Bella is essentially the female version of Frankenstein’s monster. However, her character’s journey really surprised me.
Emma Stone is fantastic in this film. She has always been a great actress, but I admire the roles she picked in returning to acting with this film and the TV show “The Curse.” She is unafraid to try new things, and it seems like she trusts both projects’ creators. A grown woman acting like a toddler who finds the pleasure of sex could be annoying if played by someone else, but it is an essential component of Bella and her evolution. This is Stone’s second time working with Lanthimos, and a third collaboration is in the works. Needless to say, I’m eager to see more from them both.
Another standout is Mark Ruffalo, who is hilarious in this role. Like Stone, he goes for it in this film. His comedic timing is exemplary. This role is against type for him, and it is so fun to see him be what is essentially the jealous boyfriend character. Despite the hilarity of his performance, his character has a darker undertone as he often tries to control what Bella does, especially in public.
Ruffalo and Stone have great chemistry together, but they also have quite a few raunchy sex scenes together. This will undoubtedly turn some people off. But again, this is essential to Bella’s character and her arc. She is unashamed in her enjoyment of sex and regularly seeks it out. Her experiences lead her to question society’s judgment and aversion to talking about sex. She asks why female sex workers are chosen like a shiny new toy by any man who walks through the door. Shouldn’t the attraction be a two-way street?
The art design and production design are also beautiful in this film. The costumes, the makeup, and the sets make this strange parallel world pop with color. The setting is basically a combination of Steampunk and the Victorian era.
What I admire about this film is how fearless it is. In terms of weirdness and originality, I would put “Poor Things” on par with “The Lobster.” I don’t think anyone can replicate what Lanthimos does with his unique directorial style. In his films, he seems to have contempt for societal expectations, as most of his characters are subversive in some way. Many of his films carry a black sense of humor. “Poor Things” is no different here and is another strong, strange, and enjoyable entry in Lanthimos’s filmography.
Now available on Digital and on Blu-ray™ and DVD March 12th
