Movie Review: “Poor Things” Dissects Our Autonomy and Sexuality in Absurdist Twist

95/100

Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos definitely has a penchant for the absurd, and there is no better example of this than his newest film, Poor Things. Some of Lanthimos’ previous work like Dogtooth, The Lobster, and The Favorite have similarly delved into similar themes of love, loss of autonomy, and limits put on us by society. 

This has been a pet project of Lanthimos, who initially started developing this back in 2009. It languished in production hell for years until Lanthimos approached Stone with the project during their time collaborating on The Favorite. Poor Things was further delayed, like many films were, in part due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. 

Based off a 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray, Poor Things tells the story of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) after she attempts suicide, only to be reanimated with the brain of her unborn child by the emotionally and literally scarred Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Initially naive and reduced to the mind of a child, Bella is kept under the watchful eye of Dr. Baxter (also referred to unsubtly by the nickname God) and his student/assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef). McCandles was brought on to take detailed notes on Bella’s cognitive processes and is eventually persuaded to ask for Bella’s hand in marriage. However, Bella is not willing to be tied down in her new life, in spite of the growing paternal feelings of the scarred surgeon who reanimated her. 

Bella quickly develops a robust sexual appetite and, without the trappings of the buttoned-down society of Victorian England, runs off with Dr. Baxter’s cad of a lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. Wedderburn portrays himself as libertine and rakish, but quickly reveals himself as being emblematic of many of the prejudices of their society. In contrast, Bella finds herself seeking self-discovery and liberation. Bella and Wedderburn embark on what can only be described as a hedonistic odyssey set on the pastel, steampunk backgrounds of Lisbon, Cairo, and Paris.

Lanthimos has teamed up with one of my personal favorite screenwriters, Tony McNamara, who he worked with previously on The Favorite. McNamara knocks the script out of the park with punchy dialogue that offers a stark contrast between the characters. Bella’s dialogue in particular is incredibly indicative of her character’s philosophical growth throughout the film. 

Emma Stone is an indisputable highlight of this film, with a nuanced and multifaceted performance that demonstrates her range as an actress. The character she plays is literally a Frankenstein’s monster, an infantilized Victorian woman who’s constantly evolving intelligence can be observed scene to scene. 

The supporting cast holds their own as well. Ruffalo’s overacting works perfectly for the over-the-top character of Duncan Wedderburn and his transformation from a slick womanizer to a heartbroken wreck is honestly hilarious. Dafoe and Youssef’s performances, while smaller in comparison, are no less impactful and incredibly tender. 

One critique I have seen levied at Poor Things is that some people online see the narrative as glorifying the type of men who would take advantage of Bella. However, upon watching Lanthimos’ newest project, that couldn’t feel further from the truth. Bella constantly subverts everyone’s expectations, every step she takes is her own and moves towards her own independence. 

Poor Things is an exploration of autonomy, freedom, and self-betterment. Lanthimos delves heavily into our conception of sexuality and what is an acceptable display of it. Lanthimos has discussed at length how it baffles him how prudish American studios and audiences are in regards to sex and sexuality, yet how readily they accept violence. 

A significant plot point in the movie is Bella choosing to turn to sex work, joining a brothel in Paris run by the eccentric Madame Swiney (Katherine Hunter). Bella uses this experience to embrace her desires and befriends/becomes involved with a fellow sex worker and vocal socialist played by Suzy Bemba. Most of the male characters in this movie are disgusted Bella’s turn to prostitution, she herself sees it as a means of liberation. As she describes, she is the means of her own production.

Poor Things is definitely an odd, offbeat film that blurs the line between dark comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy, but it does so in order to push the envelope as to what it means to find yourself. Bella, in many ways, serves as an avatar for all of us, on a quest to understand ourselves and the world around us to, ultimately, leave it better than how we found it.

Poor Things will be fully released in the U.S. on December 8.