December 12, 2023
FILM: POOR THINGS
DIRECTED BY: YORGOS LANTHIMOS
STARRING: EMMA STONE, MARK RUFFALO, WILLEM DAFOE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has made some of the most original and unusual films, from the Oscar-winning The Favourite to nominees Dogtooth and The Lobster. His work is not for everyone though as his films push the limits of on screen narrative logic, character development, and sexuality. His latest, Poor Things, is no different. It’s based on a novel by Alasdair Gray, but most people will view it as a variation of The Bride of Frankenstein. The script goes much deeper though and will ultimately resonate with open-minded viewers.
Emma Stone stars as deceased Bella Baxter who is brought back to life using the brain of an unborn baby by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe. The big differences from the Bride film and this one is that she is created and able to develop in life as a woman (as opposed to The Bride who dies shortly after being brought back from the dead.) Early on we watch Bella in her most childlike state. She throws food, breaks plates, and struggles with sentence structure. Emma Stone is absolutely astonishing in the role. The way she physically moves highlights the immense skill she has developed as an actress. Every bit of her actions mimic that of a young child. Similarly, her speech patterns will be familiar to anyone who has ever witnessed a child trying to get attention by saying nonsensical or shocking things. Bella does mature quickly though, giving Stone even more incredible work to do as we watch her blossom intellectually.
Bella is also confronted by a series of men who desire her as she becomes sexually awakened. First, there is Max McCandles, the very funny Ramy Youssef, playing an English version of his endearing and expertly reactive TV persona. Then there is rich Duncan Wedderburn whom Mark Ruffalo inhabits in a performance that goes well beyond what the actor has achieved in most of his previous film roles. He’s freer, very comedic, and more animated than ever here. Dafoe completely takes over the role of Godwin Baxter. With heavily scarred facial prosthetics, he almost looks like an invented creature himself, albeit a very wise and paternal one.
What becomes clear is that this is a story about a woman who must come into her own as a reaction against the controlling male figures in her life. It’s a true feminist tale with Stone steadily expressing the strength within Bella. If there’s anything that takes the film down a bit is its overreliance on the sexual awakening part of her story. This is a VERY explicit film with a lot of nudity. The sequence probably goes on about 10 to 15 minutes longer than is needed to get its points across.
Tonally the film has elements of comedy, drama, romance, and science fiction. Many of the early scenes in particular are laugh out loud hilarious. The very witty and expertly communicated dialogue is original and a bit philosophical at times. Some of it is just plain fun, for instance, a scene featuring a crying restaurant baby to which Bella observes, “I must punch that baby in the face!”
The film is also quite a visual feast. The early scenes, like the 30s Frankenstein films, are shot in gorgeous black and white. As imprisoned Bella becomes more enlightened, color is introduced suggesting the wider world that exists outside. The set design is in keeping with the late 1800s yet is also filled with modern elements creating an interesting fusion of three centuries. Settings such as Lisbon and Paris have an almost whimsical, busy vibe. As Bella reaches these cities it’s as if she has been let loose into the high-energy world of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Also adding texture to the film are Baxter’s unusual experimental creations such as a half-pig/half dog. (This foreshadows a very funny “creature” he creates at the end of the film.)
Overall, Poor Things is a cinematic ride full of incredible performances, large chunks of humor, and some very inventive dialogue and visuals. This is not a film for kids though so consider yourself warned! There’s a mature story here that relates a bit to this year’s other big feminist story, Barbie, but don’t plan to bring your young daughters to this one unless you’re ready to do a lot of explaining…
Poor Things opens theatrically this week.
FILM: POOR THINGS
DIRECTED BY: YORGOS LANTHIMOS
STARRING: EMMA STONE, MARK RUFFALO, WILLEM DAFOE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has made some of the most original and unusual films, from the Oscar-winning The Favourite to nominees Dogtooth and The Lobster. His work is not for everyone though as his films push the limits of on screen narrative logic, character development, and sexuality. His latest, Poor Things, is no different. It’s based on a novel by Alasdair Gray, but most people will view it as a variation of The Bride of Frankenstein. The script goes much deeper though and will ultimately resonate with open-minded viewers.
Emma Stone stars as deceased Bella Baxter who is brought back to life using the brain of an unborn baby by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe. The big differences from the Bride film and this one is that she is created and able to develop in life as a woman (as opposed to The Bride who dies shortly after being brought back from the dead.) Early on we watch Bella in her most childlike state. She throws food, breaks plates, and struggles with sentence structure. Emma Stone is absolutely astonishing in the role. The way she physically moves highlights the immense skill she has developed as an actress. Every bit of her actions mimic that of a young child. Similarly, her speech patterns will be familiar to anyone who has ever witnessed a child trying to get attention by saying nonsensical or shocking things. Bella does mature quickly though, giving Stone even more incredible work to do as we watch her blossom intellectually.
Bella is also confronted by a series of men who desire her as she becomes sexually awakened. First, there is Max McCandles, the very funny Ramy Youssef, playing an English version of his endearing and expertly reactive TV persona. Then there is rich Duncan Wedderburn whom Mark Ruffalo inhabits in a performance that goes well beyond what the actor has achieved in most of his previous film roles. He’s freer, very comedic, and more animated than ever here. Dafoe completely takes over the role of Godwin Baxter. With heavily scarred facial prosthetics, he almost looks like an invented creature himself, albeit a very wise and paternal one.
What becomes clear is that this is a story about a woman who must come into her own as a reaction against the controlling male figures in her life. It’s a true feminist tale with Stone steadily expressing the strength within Bella. If there’s anything that takes the film down a bit is its overreliance on the sexual awakening part of her story. This is a VERY explicit film with a lot of nudity. The sequence probably goes on about 10 to 15 minutes longer than is needed to get its points across.
Tonally the film has elements of comedy, drama, romance, and science fiction. Many of the early scenes in particular are laugh out loud hilarious. The very witty and expertly communicated dialogue is original and a bit philosophical at times. Some of it is just plain fun, for instance, a scene featuring a crying restaurant baby to which Bella observes, “I must punch that baby in the face!”
The film is also quite a visual feast. The early scenes, like the 30s Frankenstein films, are shot in gorgeous black and white. As imprisoned Bella becomes more enlightened, color is introduced suggesting the wider world that exists outside. The set design is in keeping with the late 1800s yet is also filled with modern elements creating an interesting fusion of three centuries. Settings such as Lisbon and Paris have an almost whimsical, busy vibe. As Bella reaches these cities it’s as if she has been let loose into the high-energy world of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Also adding texture to the film are Baxter’s unusual experimental creations such as a half-pig/half dog. (This foreshadows a very funny “creature” he creates at the end of the film.)
Overall, Poor Things is a cinematic ride full of incredible performances, large chunks of humor, and some very inventive dialogue and visuals. This is not a film for kids though so consider yourself warned! There’s a mature story here that relates a bit to this year’s other big feminist story, Barbie, but don’t plan to bring your young daughters to this one unless you’re ready to do a lot of explaining…
Poor Things opens theatrically this week.