“Poor Things,” directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, examines a woman, Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone, whose brain and body are not completely synchronized, her brain being that of a child and body that of a woman. Thus, Bella explores the world with the agency of an adult but the curiosity of someone with a blank slate.
When she enters the world, she is “brand new.” She has no preconceived notions of how someone should act or behave. Seeing a woman go through the world with no knowledge of societal norms, race construct, or gender expectations was thrilling and eye-opening.
Bella Baxter never lets herself be under someone else’s control, not out of spite but out of a genuine desire for freedom and intrigue for the world. And when she finds pleasure, she pursues it without bound and, more importantly, without guilt.
This film is one of the weirdest and out-there I’ve ever seen. It’s vulgar, graphic and dystopian in simultaneously uncomfortable and exciting ways as we see Bella gain her free will and sexual autonomy. And to the 80-year-old couple sitting next to me in theaters…I’m sorry. However, the message of the film is emphasized by these choices.
The color-grading creates the sense of child-like wonder that Bella experiences. The movie begins in black and white and progressively becomes more and more vibrant as Bella discovers the beauties of the world, with no knowledge of the darker aspects. Once she becomes conscious of the bad, the colors slightly dim.
Moreover, almost every character acts rigid and judgmental, except for Bella and other outsiders to society. The actors embody and elevate these traits by not only acting posh and wealthy but also trapped. This choice elevates Bella’s freedom and makes her “weirdness” exciting instead of unsettling. Also, Emma Stone is amazing. Beyond amazing.
While Bella’s actions themselves are not unsettling, the directing and set design make all her surroundings astoundingly uneasy. Everything in the film looks like something out of a weird dream you vaguely remember. The buildings are shaped in unwieldy ways and the nature, such as trees or bodies of water, is grotesque.
Lanthimos creates a world just different enough to be distinguished from ours, but similar enough that we can clearly see the similarities. It’s a world just slightly uglier and less sugar-coated that makes us confront the dark parts of our society face-to-face.
And finally, the score perfectly reflects this weirdness and curiosity. I didn’t think it was possible for a score to properly fit this film, but Jerksin Fendrix somehow managed the impossible.
I don’t know that I can recommend this film to anyone, especially 10th graders and under (this is super not for your age). I also don’t know that I can say I enjoyed the 150 minutes I spent in the theater. But, the film takes a very interesting look at society and free will, and while I may not have liked it, it is very, very well done.
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Cinematic is a movie review column currently publishing a series on each of the 2024 best picture nominees. To access more reviews, click the “Cinematic” tag below.
