Yorgos Lanthimos has become one of the most amazing and immediate voices in modern cinema over the last few years. His latest endeavour ‘Poor Things’ reunites him with Emma Stone, his lead actress from the Oscar-winning ‘The Favourite’ and delivers a bizarrely beautiful fairytale and utterly madcap adventure conjured up from the breathlessly inventive minds of writers Tony McNamara and Alasdair Gray. It’s easy to see why this is such an awards-season favourite.
The plot involves a renowned but unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) who brings a woman back to life who was left for dead. Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) has a mysterious past, and the exact circumstance of her untimely demise and current existence is shrouded in mystery. One of Goodwin’s students Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) volunteers to help him with observing Bella’s evolution. It soon becomes apparent that as she begins to grow as a person, Bella’s thirst for life will take her out of the confines of Dr Goodwin’s mansion and into the real world.
Emma Stone is sensational in ‘Poor Things’, which must surely make her a frontrunner for awards season gold this year. Once again, she delivers a performance of nuance and insanity, comedy and tragedy that holds your attention throughout. It’s her most liberating role to date, allowing Stone to really deliver a side we’ve never seen from her onscreen before. It’s certainly a complex and demanding role, but Bella could be one of the greatest character’s she’ll ever play.
The incredible ensemble of ‘Poor Things’ deliver laughs aplenty at every opportunity, with each and every performance being a standout success. Some of the wins are expected, like from the perennially excellent duo of William Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo, both of whom deliver truly unforgettable turns. Ramy Youssef does well as Max, Vicki Pepperdine steals her scenes as Dr. Baxter’s maid Mrs. Prim and Kathryn Hunter delivers yet another transformative performance as Swiney, a brothel madam with a vice for biting. As with all great fantasy tales, ‘Poor Things’ revels in strong characterisation that fuels the story with purpose and poise.
The visual style of the film is a quirky and captivating feast for the senses, delivering a future classic in its endless pursuit to populate the screen with vibrancy and energy, coupled with a solemn melancholy too. Whilst this is a comedy, its populated with sadness throughout and that’s what gives ‘Poor Things’ it’s real substance. It has huge set-pieces that are very memorable, including a dancefloor sequence that’s choreographed to perfection, but it’s the more intimate and personal scenes that resonate the most. Whilst set in a fantastical past, ‘Poor Things’ tackles some big, timely subjects, including the role of women in society and the challenges and oppression they face on a daily basis. Through all the whimsy and frivolity, there’s some immediate and important issues being faced head-on in this story.
Already one of the best films of the year, ‘Poor Things’ is a delightfully curious oddity – one full of passion and quirk of the highest order that delivers fits of laughter. Lanthimos does it again, proving that his collaborations with Emma Stone are purely magical, delivering sensationally entertaining fare that lingers long in the soul. The ensemble are all outstanding, Emma Stone delivers a powerhouse performance worth her weight in Oscar gold, and this gorgeously grotesque cult-classic fairytale strikes every chord it aspires to reach. The end result is one of the freshest and most satisfying cinema-going experiences we’re likely to get all year. ‘Poor Things’ is the first unmissable movie of the year and a sheer delight from start to finish.
Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youseff, Vicki Pepperdine, Kathryn Hunter Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Writer: Tony McNamara, Alasdair Gray Certificate: 18 Duration: 141 mins Released by: Disney Release date: 12th January 2024
