Movie Breakdown: Poor Things

Pre-Screening Stance:

I absolutely love The Favourite, so I’m more than ready to see another collaboration between Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, especially since Poor Things looks like some kind of tripped out version of Bride Of Frankenstein.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Poor Things is a bit like Beau Is Afraid – it’s lengthy, weird, and fairly pretentious. Unlike Ari Aster’s film though, it’s actually watchable. The story is … hefty, so I’m going to give you the most streamlined version possible. Essentially, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) is brilliant and he’s managed to bring to life a woman he calls Bella Baxter (Emma Stone). In the early days, Bella can’t do much but stumble around the house, say half-words, and break things, but eventually she starts to come into her own. After getting engaged to Dr. Baxter’s assistant, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef), she meets another man, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), who sweeps her off her feet and takes her on an adventure. A whole lot of self-discovery for Bella then follows.

While I found Poor Things to be a delight, I know for sure it’s not going to play well for everyone. Stone’s performance is daring and unhinged and just totally one for the ages, but for the first portion of the movie, she’s pretty much a big child, and that combined with a slew of other oddities from director Yorgos Lanthimos makes for a film that will test your patience right off the bat. If you can stick with it though, you’ll be treated to so, so much – there’s the vibrant world that Lanthimos has crafted, a whole cast of colorful characters that surround and influence Bella, and then – of course – there’s the lively and unpredictable path that she takes in order to find herself. In other words, here’s to Poor Things being the most wondrous and fantastical film of 2023.

Poor Things is a great film, but it’s likely that your mileage may vary with it. Catch it in select theaters on December 8, and then everywhere on December 15.

One Last Thought:

I would totally watch a Duncan Wedderburn solo movie. Maybe even make it a prequel? It would for sure be entirely stupid and probably annoying after the first 30-35 minutes, but that’s fine, the world needs a bit more of Mark Ruffalo as this ridiculous man.