General Information
Directed by – Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by – Tony McNamara
Release Year – 2023
Starring – Emma Stone (Bella Baxter), Mark Ruffalo (Duncan Wdderburn), Willem Dafoe (Dr. Godwin Baxter), Ramy Youssef (Max McCandles), Christopher Abbott (Alfie Blessington), Kathryn Hunter (Madame Swiney) and Jerrod Carmichael (Harry Astley)
Synopsis – After being brought back to life after her suicide, Bella rediscovers the world around her from a new perspective, learning what it means to be a human being.
Review
Yorgos Lanthimos is not an auteur that chooses to tell stories you would expect from the average filmmaker. What makes him special is that he selects stories that may come off as “weird” and enhances them to be masterpieces – captivating audiences enough that they are brought into his unique worldview.
Based on the novel of the same name, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) has been given a second chance at life after Dr. Godwin Baxter (Wllem Dafoe) finds her lifeless body due to a suicide. In a tale similar to Frankenstein, Bella is reanimated, given a new life to live. When we meet her, Bella is walking and talking like a child instead of the 30-year-old woman she is supposed to be. Over the course of the film, we watch Bella grow and develop into a new woman again. Stone is able to portray this perfectly; the way she waddles and babbles like a toddler you would have thought Lanthimos aged-up an actual two-year-old. Stone’s performance is full of naivete that makes you wish it was easy to see the world as a kid again. We are able to see this child mature into a marvelous woman who not only explores what the world has to offer but also not falling for its traps that we are sometimes forced to accept.
Stone is accompanied by a strong supporting cast that helps her character explore her story. Dafoe adds another weird role to his repertoire as the doctor responsible for bringing Bella back from the dead. A professional in his field, God – as Bella calls him – has a tragic past that leads him to being the father of all of his adventurous creations. He’s very protective of Bella and does not want her to venture outside of the comfort he has created for her in his home. Also observing Bella is Godwin’s assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef). Youssef adds such a kind and gentle approach to Bella, feeding into her curiosities about the world while falling for her. Both Godwin and Candles show compassion for Bella, but it is Youssef’s kind nature that makes you fall for him every time he’s on screen.
However, everything changes for the three of them when Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) comes into the picture, also falling for Bella and wanting to swoop her away on an adventure. Ruffalo in this role is utterly hilarious while driving you mad with how rudely he treats Bella. You know you are in for a good time when Ruffalo appears on screen. There is something about his performance that contains so many layers of comedy and drama that makes it a perfect role for him without even originally thinking this was a role he needed. Along their journey around the world, Bella and Duncan run into a wide range of characters that, in their own way, guide Bella on the ways of the world. These include Harry Astley (Jerrod Charmichael), who shows her the disgusting aspects of what happens to those who are poor, and Madame Swiney (Kathryn Hunter), who takes her in and teaches the value of herself and what it means to earn a wage. Bella treats each of these people with respect and curiosity for their knowledge of the world. And every actor brings their all no matter how big their part may be.
This film is one of the most visually pleasing and fantastical looking of the year. For the first act, the film is black and white and as the film transitions to the second act, it remains fully in color. The black and white scenes mostly take place in Godwin’s house as we are being introduced to who Bella is through the eyes of her “creator.” After she demands to travel around the world with Duncan, both us and Bella are opened up to a whole new world. She is seeing what it is like on the outside for the first time, and I love how this message is shown through Robbie Ryan’s cinematography. There is also the use of a fisheye lens, showing how Bella’s world is so small before she steps out with Duncan to expand everything around her. Cinematography choices is a film craft that has taken me a while to fully understand what exactly goes into making certain decisions compared to a director’s vision, and this film really helped me appreciate this outstanding art form.
Not only is Poor Things visually stunning with its cinematography, but it stands out in the costumes, production and visual effects as well. Even though the film takes place around the Victorian era, there is such a fantasy-feeling aspect that is felt through the designs. The costumes are loud and colorful when Bella explores new places – which are also mystical in their own right – until she finds the simplicity of life and thus her wardrobe changes to fit. The color palette is not too extreme that it blinds the audience but satisfies those who enjoy yellows, greens, and blues. Even though the film takes place in places like Lisbon and Paris, you feel as though you are somewhere completely created in the mind of Lanthimos. He was not afraid to expand upon commonly known places to be able to create a world all his own.
Taking what could have been a disastrous concept and making it accessible for adult audiences, Poor Things is a masterpiece of spectacle. With stunning performances against the backdrop of beautiful set pieces, you should seek out this award-winning film.
