Poor Things [2023]
“Why keep it in my mouth if it is revolting?”
Put simply, Poor Things is the ultimate Girl-Boss movie. Bella faces a world that wishes to control her and expects certain things of her, and then tells it to absolutely go f**k itself in the best way. From the performances of everyone on screen, to the wonderfully strange score, Poor Things is sure to enchant you almost as quickly as disgust and delight you. A harrowing mix of Ari Aster, Wes Anderson, and Tim Burton; this 21st century Frankenstein tale is one that will be difficult for some to watch, but should be seen and contemplated by all.
Bella Baxter is a curious woman with even more curious tendencies. When her adoptive father, Dr. Godwin Baxter, brings in a student of his to help document her growth, they all find that she has much more going on than they bargained for. Soon thereafter, a longing for adventure, experience, and knowledge turn Bella from the innocent and strange child they all once knew into someone entirely different, and entirely who she intends to be.
2023’s Poor Things is one of the most inventive, poignant, creative, and excellent movies of that year. An easy call for at least 7 Oscar nominations, Yorgos Lanthimos’ adaption of the 1992 [yes, I realize that technically makes it a 20th century tale] Alasdair Gray novel by the same name manages to be both weird and upsetting as easily as it is moving and captivating. This is a movie of complex feelings, fantasy, progression, growth, and the horrors of reality. Filled with both wonderment and a disdain for the way things are, Poor Things is more a reflection on the audience and the world perpetuated around [or by] them, almost as much as it’s about the characters shown on screen. Bella Baxter and Max McCandles are who most of us strive to be in one way or another [in their freedom from expectation, “norms”, and acceptance at the way things are or can instead be], while we laugh at the likes of Duncan Wedderburn… even though he represents what most of us actually are: possessive, jealous, and selfish. The “poor things” of the title aren’t the characters spurned by Bella’s advancement through life… they’re us; the audience, who lack the same strength and conviction she has to do what she wants, when she wants, how she wants.
The spritefully mischievous script is brought fantastically to life by every element of the rest of film. However, none moreso than a production design seemingly lifted from the nightmares of aforementioned greats, Burton and Anderson, by Shona Heath and James Price, the impeccable cinematography of Robbie Ryan, and a show stoppingly odd performance by Emma Stone. Watching Poor Things is like accidentally falling inside of a Dr. Seuss book that’s taken on the energy of an “oddities & curios” shop. Everything is weird and wonky, too big and too bendy, out of place and not-quite-frightening… but it also all belongs, fits, and flows. From Stone’s jilted and wooden strides to Dafoe’s obnoxious, gurgling burps, there’s really nothing about this movie that should be appealing… and yet, here we are, completely smitten.
“I have adventured it and found nothing but sugar and violence.
It is most charming.”
In some ways, Poor Things feels like a horrific interpretation of 2001’s Amélie. In others, it has a similar vibe to Burton’s 2003 fantasy, Big Fish. However, in most ways [much like Bella herself], Poor Things is entirely its own beast and stands proud and weird and bright amongst its peers. In my short review of the above-mentioned Amélie I said, “I guarantee you'll fall in love with this film if you're not too caught up falling in love with Amélie, herself, first,” and I think that applies here as well. You’ll love Bella from the start for her strangeness, but you’ll soon learn to love her for who she becomes and wants to be instead. Don’t get me too wrong here, Poor Things is not a “feel good” movie perse… It’s very graphic, very dark, and very serious [despite being intentionally funny almost the entire time]. However, it’s one that balances the weight of its message and intent well, and only even toes the line of being “too much” towards the end of film; where it starts to feel a little long in the tooth. Beyond that though, this is a 141-minute film with more content than Wonka or The Boy and the Heron combined, despite both of those having similar runtimes.
2023’s Poor Things is a masterclass in the weird, a glorious globe-trot into the gauche and grotesque, and a love letter to letting yourself be and feel and change and grow. We should all strive to be more like the quirky and straightforward Bella Baxter or the understanding and accountable Max McCandles despite a world that wants nothing more than for us all to be a Duncan Wedderburn or an Alfie Blessington… while also insisting that we hate those types of people. We all have the agency to be who we want, we just have to be bold enough to assert ourselves against the ruts society has so deeply dug us into. So, take the time, get ready for a movie with a lot of sex, and settle in as you experience a great example of how we can all stop being such Poor Things.
