Still on general release in UK and US cinemas is the drama-comedy, Poor Things. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and based on a book by Alasdair Gray, Poor Things stars Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Mark Ruffalo, and follows the story of a young woman who has been resurrected following her death.
In the movie, medical student Max McCandles takes up the position as an assistant to surgeon, Godwin Baxter. During his first day on the job, Max travels to Godwin’s home where he meets Bella – a mysterious, childlike woman.
When Max questions Godwin about Bella, and why she appears to be different from other woman of her own age, Godwin tells him that Bella’s “mental age, and her body, are not quite synchronised”. In truth, there is far more to it.
Before Bella came to live with Godwin, she was an unknown woman who had committed suicide by leaping from a bridge into the river. When Godwin recovered Bella’s body from the water, he attempted to revive her with an electrical current, but his efforts failed.
However, when Godwin discovered Bella was pregnant and her unborn child was still alive, he came up with a new plan. He would replace Bella’s brain with the brain of her infant, and bring her back to life as a hybrid of the two.
While Bella looks like a woman, her mind is that of a child. She is still learning new things about her surroundings, and she is currently at a boisterous, impetuous, and curious stage.
After Godwin reveals the truth, Max proposes to Bella. She accepts, but soon changes her mind when lawyer Duncan Wedderburn arrives and catches her attention with the promise of worldly wonders and rampant sex sessions.
Set in a steam punk version of Victorian London, and madder than a box of frogs, Poor Things is a bizarre, yet frankly unique picture, that you’ll either enjoy or you’ll abandon after about five minutes. It’s strange, it’s bonkers, it often plays out like some drug-induced trip, and I’m 100% sure it won’t be for everyone.
That said, many will gravitate towards Poor Things, and some of this will be in large part due to the current high-profile nature of the film. Many people are talking about Poor Things right now, and this is because of the sheer number of awards it has been nominated for.
Only yesterday, it was announced that Poor Things is up for 11 trophies at this year’s Academy Awards. This includes Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.
Whether Poor Things wins any of these awards remains to be seen. Either way, I guarantee you won’t find many films like this one knocking around, and certainly not playing at the local multiplex.
Poor Things is a sort of avante garde, art house affair, with call-backs to the early age of cinema. It is an oddity, with plenty of nudity, and a dark sense of humour throughout.
I’m not entirely sure it quite tickles my pickle, but I do appreciate its strengths. These strengths include a stand-out performance from lead actress Emma Stone, which is a highlight of the film.
Stone takes on the role of Bella, and plays the part with utter conviction. She bares all and knows when to lean into the quirky and humorous facets of her character.
Due to Bella’s childlike mind, Stone has to play the role with no filter and as someone who is always seeking instant gratification. She has to maintain a certain energy and disposition at all times, and this leads to some funny and eyebrow-raising interactions throughout the film.
I’m sure other actors could tackle this role, but Stone makes it her own. It’s not an easy part, and it’s one which requires Stone to put everything on display (and I mean everything).
She does so marvellously. I’m not sure she’ll win the Oscar for Best Actress, but she certainly deserves to be among the nominations.
Outside of Stone, the supporting cast, including Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo, all put in solid performances, and make this seemingly unbelievable world appear tangible. There’s an element of Frankenstein about this picture, and Dafoe and Ruffalo have no trouble convincing anyone they’ve stepped off the set of some gothic horror.
The film also benefits from lashings of black comedy, excellent set design and costuming, as well as some great staging. Visually, this is a strong looking film, and director Yogos Lanthimos has the utmost control over the picture at all times.
Yet, despite all of the positives, on a personal level, I wasn’t entirely taken with Poor Things. While I can understand all of the many ways in which it engages, entertains, and enthrals its audience, it never quite grabbed me in the way I hoped it would.
There is much to see, and the movie’s wicked sense of humour is a treat, but at no point did I entirely love what was on offer. The best I can say is that I admire it, but from a distance, and more as someone who is a well-wisher who appreciates what is being presented, rather than someone who is a number one fan.
Poor Things never quite gelled with me, but there’s no denying this is a strong picture. Emma Stone gives a tremendous performance, and both structurally and aesthetically it’s a great film.
Even though it wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed, it’s a movie with plenty of merit. For this reason alone, while it isn’t for me, it gets high marks regardless and is one to take a look at if you’re after something out of the ordinary.
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