Poor Things review: Emma Stone is well worthy of Oscars hype
Poor Things review and star rating: ★★★★★
Anyone who wishes for more variety in cinema should be thankful for the success of Yorgos Lanthimos. The Greek filmmaker has become an arthouse favourite in recent years with The Lobster and The Killing of A Sacred Deer, eventually infiltrating the awards circuit with 2018’s The Favourite. Throughout his rise, Lanthimos’ artistry has remained consistent, telling stories that are visually remarkable, occasionally shocking, and delightfully obscure. His latest, Poor Things, lives up to that description, deserving all of its Oscar hype.
Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a creation of eccentric Victorian scientist Godfrey Baxter (Willem Dafoe), whom she calls “God”. Learning to speak, move, and interpret the world from scratch, Bella eventually learns the shocking truth of her creation, and runs away from home on a voyage of discovery, helped and hindered by aristocratic cad Duncan Wedderburn (Marc Ruffalo).
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From the moment you see Stone stumbling across a hallway, filmed through a fisheye lens, accompanied by a duck-dog hybrid, it’s clear you’re in for a different kind of movie. Lanthimos takes a Frankenstein-like plot and grows it into a story about the pursuit of passion and sexual freedom. It is shockingly explicit, both in terms of sexuality and occasional gore.
For those familiar with the director’s work it will be a dream come true. Tony McNamara’s script has a wicked humour to it, always aware of the inherent strangeness. Arguably the director’s funniest film, it’s coupled with remarkable set design from Shona Heath and James Price, as well as iconic costumes designed by Holly Waddingham that represent every step of Bella’s development.
It’s a pleasure to see a film where everyone behind and in front of the camera is so in sync, and that’s never more evident than in Stone’s performance. She makes the most of her character’s fractured dialogue (Bella calls sex “furious jumping”), committing to her character’s unguarded nature.
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She’s aided by excellent support, particularly from Ruffalo as the charming buffoon who turns ugly when Bella begins to outgrow him. Dafoe is predictably off-the-wall as the maddest of scientists, while Ramy Youssef adds heart as Bella’s betrothed, a meek medical student. It’s a thankless task in a film with so many interesting rogues, but the TV star holds his own against established names giving it their all.
A strange but brilliant fairy tale, Poor Things is a film that will provoke strong reactions. A definite contender for the big awards of Oscar season, this quirky classic won’t be for everyone. Then again, the best films usually aren’t.
Poor Things is in cinemas from 12th January.