Yorgos Lanthimos, director of films like The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Favourite, has arrived with a brand new movie. Poor Things is a steampunk black comedy fantasy adventure movie of sorts. It’s not easy to categorize this offbeat film. Right from the get-go, this is not your average movie. It begins with Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) resurrecting a woman who committed suicide, played by Emma Stone. She is resurrected as Bella Baxter in a delightfully odd little film that, by some miracle, is fantastic.
This is not a movie for everyone. Film lovers, particularly fans of Lanthimos’s previous work, will likely adore Poor Things. With general audiences, this is going to be a love-it-or-hate-it experience. For the first few minutes, I was not sure how much I liked it. It’s supremely strange, with Dr. Baxter sitting at a dinner table burping a large dark bubble on multiple occasions. Stone’s performance also takes some getting used to, as she is someone who has returned from the dead and had her brain replaced with an infant’s brain. She’s seeing the world for the first time as an infant in an adult’s body.
As a result, Stone is completely committed to the nature of Bella. There are eye-catching lens choices, with many shots being filmed on fisheye lenses, distorting the picture and putting you in the protagonist’s perspective. Ramy Youssef appears early on as Max McCandless, who keeps everything grounded amidst Stone and Dafoe’s off-kilter roles. Although Poor Things starts out quite puzzling, it transitions into something more palpable as the film continues. Bella discovers masturbation and sexual intercourse, or as she calls it, “furious jumping.” She soon runs away with a lawyer named Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), and an odyssey of self-discovery awaits.
Poor Things is a dazzling exploration of humanity and sexuality. There’s a surprising amount of beauty in this film about a woman who does not remember her past life and must figure out the world for herself. Bella has agency in her life, she enjoys having sex, and she carries with her a naivety that can only exist with someone of her experience. She has an innocent, unique perspective on life, and she becomes more intelligent as the film progresses. However, as she figures things out, she gets into a few hilarious hijinks, sometimes to the dismay of Duncan.
You will howl with laughter at this sharp, hilarious film. The best thing about the humor here is that it’s always intentional, but it generally strays away from your typical Hollywood style of comedy. It’s challenging to define what makes Poor Things so funny, but it absolutely is. A large aspect of that is the performances, particularly from Stone. She is mesmerizing, starting off as an infant with little understanding of human interaction. As the movie goes on, she morphs into a sexually liberated, albeit naive woman. She keeps the audience on her side with her charm but never plays into the persona that many associate with her.
Ruffalo is sensational here as well. General audiences know him as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not everyone knows how fantastic he is at adapting to a director’s style. He’s worked with the greats, like David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, and Michael Mann. Now, he brings a creature of Lanthimos’s creation to life. It’s absurd how funny Ruffalo is as Duncan. His eccentricity allows him to be a part of this world, and he is magnetic as this lawyer who develops a sexual relationship with Bella.
There’s an endearing perspective and a sharp wit surrounding Poor Things that cannot be understated. The humor is bizarre but effective. It’s an adventure movie of sorts, taking our character around the globe. Bella discovers the beauty of the world but also its many dark aspects and injustices. She is an excellent character that many viewers will fall in love with, wanting to see her succeed and discover happiness. Much like life itself, the film is funny, sad, scary, and bittersweet. There’s a beating heart at the center of this movie that takes shape in the final half hour, as we have a few revelations and moments that work to the story’s benefit.
Everyone in this cast is fantastic, but I’m going back to Stone again. She pulls off something that does not look easy—she’s absurd, funny, and surprisingly believable. Furthermore, she never feels like she’s playing up the performance to get an extra laugh. Stone is beautifully sincere in a film that I was not sure if I would like at first but it grew on me with each passing minute. Poor Things is a thematically rich story of discovering oneself with themes of growth, womanhood, independence, and sexual gratification. There is a strong creative voice behind the camera from Lanthimos, giving you an incredible cinematic experience you won’t soon forget.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended the New York Film Festival for our Poor Things review.