“It’s not a normal film.” Willem Dafoe — who knows a thing or two about the strange, freaky and odd when it comes to films — can say that again about Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.” But anyone who follows Lanthimos’ career knows he will come out with something weird, absurd and will get you talking. He revels in unhinged humans in very unusual scenarios.
“Poor Things” is based on a 1992 Alasdair Gray novel. The film follows the “evolution” of one Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) and her search for agency, pleasure and personhood.
![‘Poor Things’ follows the ‘evolution’ of one Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) and her search for agency, pleasure and personhood. PHOTO COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES.](https://www.manilatimes.net/manilatimes/uploads/images/2024/02/22/306438.jpg)
‘Poor Things’ follows the ‘evolution’ of one Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) and her search for agency, pleasure and personhood. PHOTO COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES.
Bella was a pregnant woman who jumped off of bridge. She was discovered floating in the water by one Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe) who looks like he himself really was taken apart and stitched together by his father as he claims. Godwin of course is referred to as “God” for short by Bella.
Her baby’s brain transplanted to her, and with a few flips of a switch, she was reanimated. For me, this film is really more “Frankenstein” than “Barbie” (that’s another long discussion there). It is completely bizarre as a whole and in the little details you catch on screen.
I truly enjoyed spotting those peculiar details — like that of a goat duck or bulldog goose roaming around Godwin’s house, or a horse carriage that stands out because it has a black horse-head as front piece but it is really run on some locomotion at the back.
The set design for Godwin’s home is beautifully quirky, the way the skies and seas are rendered both gothic and fairy tale like. Indeed, there is incredible aesthetic mix of the gothic, fairy tale, steampunk and Victorian era ingredients in the art direction of the film and it just absolutely works.
The costumes by Holly Waddington, most especially the outfits worn by Emma Stone, were absolutely genius. I love her versions of exaggerated mutton sleeves! Then there are the frills, the knickers, the shorts, the mixing and matching of different pieces to go with the mixing and matching of creatures and different eras with the Victorian one.
The music has touches of these broken piano strings along with oboes, bagpipes and accordions. Some parts are discordant but it completely works with the film. And there’s this effective use of the fish eye.
While the film does make a few statements on polite society, human nature, gender politics and socialism, I did feel it just wanted to tell this eccentric “Frankenstein” tale more than anything.
Also in the film is Mark Ruffalo who puts in a notable performance as one Duncan Wedderburn, a rake who is at once curious and smitten by Bella, and when he realizes he cannot control her, he does one stupid thing after another and is goes nuts.
“Poor Things” is up for the Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Make Up and Hair Styling and Best Editing at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Also, “True Detective” season 4, “Night Country” just wrapped up. New show runner Issa Lopez and her leads Jodie Foster and Kali Reiss can take a bow. You can see how it all goes down on HBO Go.