As a lover of cinema, I have grown to enjoy all types of films, whether they’re franchise blockbusters, guilty pleasures or independent wonders. The latter of which is what I would use to describe Poor Things. Poor Things has arrived in cinema’s just as awards season is beginning and you can clearly see why. Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has been a favourite with cinephiles with every new release he’s brought out, from The Killing of a Sacred Deer all the way to The Favourite. His latest film, Poor Things, feels just as stylish and cinematic as his other films but it also looks fresh, creative and unique - something that definitely stands out in the awards circuit.
Emma Stone is the soul of the film as the character Bella Baxter. Bella Baxter is a blank slate, an unknown woman who was near death and thanks to an experiment by Willem Dafoe’s Dr. Godwin Baxter is back alive, but with a brain of a baby. This means Bella has to learn everything again from walking, talking and societal rules but in the body of a woman. It sounds like the set up for a comedy, and there are elements of comedy, but the film aims to be more philosophical. Bella soon learns about the world and about herself thanks to her travelling companion Duncan Wedderburn, played by Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo and Dafoe are so charismatic and they bring their characters to life in such a dramatic way but never feels like they’re going over the top.
Poor Things has such a unique world, with pastel coloured environments, scientific landmarks and practical set pieces all lighting up the world from Bella’s perspective. It feels Victorian in some aspects, and in other aspects it feels like something out of a Terry Pratchett novel. It is so vivid that you can’t help but be drawn into the film. You can expect a lot of similar tropes from Yorgos Lanthimos’ previous works with fishbowl lenses, an off-kilter soundtrack and even a quirky dance scene which is a little similar to the one in The Favourite. You can just see what his imagination is like thanks to this film, and it looks like he had a pretty bigger budget this time too with a lot of different locations in the film; from London, Lisbon, to Alexandria, all the way to Paris and then back to London again. Each one feels different, yet it fits into this bright world seamlessly.
Poor Things has a lot to say about being a woman. With Bella being the central component to the story, we witness and see everything from her perspective and it all feels very relatable. She wants to dance the way she wants to, she speaks out all her internal thoughts, and she discovers the pleasures of the body and is unashamed about it. Emma Stone brings Bella to life in a way no other actress could, with a sense of maturity along with a slight side of naivety. All the men around her are constantly telling her no, or to be less herself and are constantly trying to control her life. Bella is her own person, and a message such as this one is an important one to convey in cinema’s right now. Bella Baxter is a woman that a lot of people can and should look up to.
★★★★☆
4/5
Final Verdict:
The storytelling is progressive, the camera work is engaging and the production design draws you in. Poor Things will not be for everyone, but for people looking for a more quirky cinematic experience will definitely enjoy this film. Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe are fantastic in their roles in this Frankenstein-esque story. The film does have some pacing issues and a few too many side characters, but overall it is a highly enjoyable experience. One that you will not forget about in a long time, and here’s hoping for plenty of awards this season.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
Kommentarer