c/o searchlight pictures
The word which best describes the newest Yorgos Lanthimos movie, “Poor Things” (2023), is unusual. Very unusual. Best known for his themes of twisting social conventions and power dynamics, as exemplified in his earlier films “The Favourite” (2018) and “The Lobster” (2015), director Lanthimos has done it again in “Poor Things.” Based on the novel of the same name published by Alasdair Gray in 1992, this critically acclaimed film was released in theaters on Dec. 8, 2023. The film has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and it won two Golden Globe awards in the Musical or Comedy category—one for Best Motion Picture, and one for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture.
Right before the start of the Spring semester, my friends and I went to see “Poor Things” at Metro Movies 12 in Middletown, Conn.. I had barely heard of this movie, and knew only that it involved a female Frankenstein-like character arc and that it featured Emma Stone. Based on my friends’ excitement and the fact there was a $5 Tuesday deal, I went… but wow. I was not prepared.
“Poor Things” follows the development and mental growth of a woman in Victorian London named Bella Baxter (Emma Stone). The audience learns early into the film that Bella was resurrected by surgeon Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), hence the connection to Frankenstein. In her old life, Bella died by suicide when she jumped off a bridge while pregnant. Godwin found her dead body and decided to bring her to life again by replacing her brain with her surviving unborn baby’s.
The rest of the film follows Bella’s story after she starts over with the same intellectual capacity as an infant. Eventually, Bella leaves her home and breaks off her engagement with her fiancé Max (Ramy Youssef) in order to embark on a grand trip across the world with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), who convinces her to run away with him. Bella ends up in various situations all over the world, including Lisbon, Portugal; Alexandria, Egypt; and Paris, France.
One of my favorite parts of this movie is the cinematography. Throughout the film, there were many different angles and depths that helped to capture the unique aspects of the story. For example, the movie starts in black and white and then transitions into color. The inclusion of all these quirky and niche elements add a nice touch to the movie’s effect on the viewer.
I must also include in my review why this movie took me aback. Within “Poor Things,” there are many depictions of surgery, blood, corpses, nudity, and prostitution. Considering that I had no idea any of this would be in the story, I was shocked by all the explicit scenes. My advice is just to be prepared. I think I would have handled these scenes better if I had been expecting them.
One last nod I must give is to the talented Emma Stone. I’ve been an avid fan of hers for some time now, and I loved her in “La La Land” (2016), but “Poor Things” has definitely been her most rewarding performance. Stone truly devoted herself to the character of Bella Baxter and gave an extraordinary performance that merits an Oscar. Depicting an evolving character that starts at the mental age of an infant is a hard task, and she did it wonderfully.
“Poor Things” is a film about about self-exploration and sexual awakening, experienced through the eyes of the remarkable Bella Baxter. At many points, I found myself laughing hysterically and then questioning life itself. “Poor Things” is one of the most impactful movies I’ve ever seen, and I suggest it to anyone who is looking to broaden their movie watch list.
Maggie Smith can be reached at mssmith@wesleyan.edu.