Poor Things

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Writer: Tony McNamara based on Alasdair Gray’s book.

Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) is, in Frankenstein style, the reanimated creation of the experimental Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Having found Bella’s body in the Thames he brings her back too life with a child’s brain. Studied by Baxter’s student Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) Bella matures quickly, becoming increasingly curious of the world around her and of her sexuality. Her world changes when she meets Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) who seduces her with the chance to see the world. As Bella experiences more, her views change as she learns about its wonders and harsh realities. She outgrows Wedderburn as she strives to improve herself and her world, which brings her back to London, where she tackles mortality and her past.

This is a wild, often dark, often funny bit of storytelling. It is likely to be divisive and won’t work for some but it did for me.

It is carried by Stone’s fabulous performance which takes Bella from blank canvas to independent and driven. The character quirks remain, although less obvious as she grows. She portrays Bella’s quizzical distance as she continues to learn and remain confused by society but not one to accept the norms of others. It’s full of humour, heart and a strange charm.

There’s excellent support from Dafoe particularly, who’s misguided mad scientist, is built on its own dark story. Ruffalo is fun as he channels his 1950’s cinema cad through to is broken by a failure to find a way to control Bella. Both standout but it’s full of fine performances.

It looks gorgeous, part fantasy horror, part colourful stylised artwork. Accompanied by a score that matches its weirdness.

It’s not perfect. It outstays its welcome at times and has a final act that feels a little tacked, not really adding to Bella’s journey.

Poor Things is a weird and wonderful journey. Its oddness is made to work by Emma Stone’s wonderful, oddly charming performance, that shows the world through inquisitive and different eyes. It won’t be for everyone, but it certainly was for me.