Big blockbusters like Oppenheimer and Barbie encouraged movie-goers to get to the theatres in big numbers and helped make 2023 a magnificent year for movies. At the same time, small-budget independent films such as Past Lives and Polite Society turned out to be some of the best-rated movies of the year. But one movie that has managed to take everyone by storm is Yorgos Lanthimos’ black comedy Poor Things. Lanthimos is known for his unique filmmaking and presenting really out-of-the-box stories. Whether it was the 2015 black comedy The Lobster or 2018’s period drama The Favourite, his films touch subjects others won’t dare to touch. And that’s what he has done with his latest film.
The story of Poor Things
Lanthimos’ eighth feature film starts with a gorgeous shot of a lady (Emma Stone) jumping off a bridge. Initially, we get to know that the lady has died. However, we soon learn that a deformed medical specialist named Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe) has managed to get her out of the river and take her to his laboratory/patient room. Stone’s character is brought back to life by the brilliant doctor, and he names her Bella. But Bella’s story becomes really intriguing when viewers discover that she is not one of Godwin’s temporary patients.
Rather, she is the product of an experiment that swapped Bella’s brain with an infant’s. The doctor is now raising her inside his London house and brings in his student, Max (Ramy Youssef), to note what kind of progress Bella is making in her day-to-day life. Stone’s character has the body of an adult but the mind of an infant. However, things take a wild turn when she learns about her sexuality and freedom at the same time.
At first, Poor Things is focused on Bella growing up with Godwin, but later, it is all about her going on a journey of discovering herself and exploring her sexuality with a man with not-so-good intentions, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo). Her journey can also be labeled as an experiment—an experiment where she gets to know how cruel or fascinating the outside world is. The movie’s tone is ferocious and filled with a lot of graphic imagery. Some of the racy sequences in the film might surprise or shock a lot of people. However, these scenes don’t distract from the story. As the audience adjusts to the film’s intensity and vibrant elements, Bella’s journey and her transformative arc bewitches them.
Production design helps make Poor Things a roaring success
Apart from the sensational screenplay by Tony McNamara, the film’s production design makes this movie a roaring success. (Kudos to the production design team of James Price and Shona Heath.) Lanthimos has used some of the finest techniques to build a world that feels like a fantasy realm. The filmmaker masterfully captures Bella’s first view of the outside world through a brilliantly shot sequence, using natural settings to present authenticity to Bella’s story.
A brilliant case including Stone, Dafoe, Ruffalo, and Youssef
Poor Things is undoubtedly one of the funniest movies by Lanthimos, and the entire cast has given their absolute best to take the viewing experience to a whole new level. Emma Stone has embodied Bella Baxter with utter precision and delivered a performance that makes it clear that Stone is one of the finest actors working in Hollywood right now. You cannot take your eyes off of her, and even though she has a lot of sex scenes in the film, you eventually get accustomed to them because of Stone’s epic portrayal. Emma Stone is the soul of Poor Things.
Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo are equally brilliant in their respective roles. Ruffalo’s character is a cunning man who tries to take advantage of Bella and take her on a journey where he can satisfy his own sexual urges. He tries to hide his dark side, but it eventually comes out when Bella learns the truth about the world. Ruffalo’s character shows the worst of humanity, and the actor presents that aspect to the viewers in the most remarkable way possible.
On the other hand, Dafoe looks unrecognizable as Dr. Godwin. His monstrous exterior masks a normal human being within, one fascinated by the world of statistics. Godwin loves Bella to the core and wants to save him from the cruel world. Once again, Dafoe has shown that filmmakers can throw any challenge at him; he will rise to the occasion with a superlative performance.
Poor Things is a masterpiece that connects without losing its weird
Poor Things shows that the world can be very cruel, and some people would take advantage of you to make their lives easier. However, the movie never tends to lose hope and shows how this world can be surprisingly kind. A film like Poor Things can be a risky experiment, but Lanthimos did his absolute best to stitch a story that connects with the people without losing its weirdness.
All in all, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things is fiercely unique and a true modern-day masterpiece. Highlighted by stellar performances of Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Dafoe, this disturbing satire carries a philosophical message about living genuinely.
Poor Things is now in theaters
Poor Things is now playing in theaters nationwide.
Have you watched Poor Things yet? What did you think? How does it rate amongst other Yorgos Lanthimos films? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below or messaging us on X @MoviesWeTexted.
If you’re interested in another perspective on Poor Things, check out Russell Miller’s review of the film.
Aayush Sharma recently reviewed Monster, the the bittersweet Japanese language drama by Hirokazu Kore-ada.