Reviews

Following their collaboration on The Favourite, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos have teamed up once again for Poor Things.

The Oscar-winning actress plays Bella Baxter, a young woman who is resurrected by the mad scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). After being confined to his house for many years, Bella runs away with the rogue Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) and embarks on a voyage of self-discovery.

Poor Things is an unorthodox and absurd coming-of-age story that follows Bella’s evolution from a naïve, childlike person to a mature woman with opinions and desires of her own.

Because she is completely new to the real world, Bella doesn’t know the restraints placed on women in Victorian society.

She is not confined to them, she does what she wants and feels no shame. Her unabashedly candid approach to taboo topics such as sex and masturbation will make you crack up!

Given that Bella is the product of a questionable science experiment, she is unlike any character we’ve ever seen on-screen before.

Stone throws herself into the part wholeheartedly – she is wild and animalistic at the start and gets involved in many nude scenes as her character experiences her sexual awakening.

Ruffalo shows a new side to himself in Poor Things too – he is a posh, adventurous British man who wants to control and tame Bella and cannot contain his jealousy when she hits it off with others. She drives him absolutely crazy and he slowly comes undone.

This film is a one-of-a-kind experience and it is beautiful to look at thanks to its gorgeous cinematography and stunning production and costume design.

However, it will not work for everyone because it is so weird and too long at two hours and 21 minutes.

For better or worse, Poor Things is a film that only Lanthimos could make. Whether you like it or not, his unique vision and the committed performances from his cast cannot be denied.

In cinemas from Friday 12th January.

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