Poor Things

Poor Things
Starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Yorgos Lanthimos is a unique director who has a style all his own, but more importantly he focuses on the idea of the human condition in wholly unique ways. Be it a sadistic quest for revenge in "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" or the quest to find a soulmate in "The Lobster" or the opulent overindulgence in "The Favourite," each of his movies centers on humanity and the good and the bad that they do. "Poor Things" is his most personal connection to the human condition yet, as we're witness to a person growing from a toddler-like mind into a sophisticated evolved woman before our eyes - all told through the best performance of Emma Stone's career.

In Victorian London Dr. Goodwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) has performed his greatest achievement yet, bringing to life Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) from the dead - although in doing so her brain is that of a child. At first she's stiff and confused, throwing plates and having a giddy time not thinking about the consequences of her actions. When Dr. Goodwin's assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) moves in, he falls in love with Bella and plans to marry her - but then she's whisked away by Lothario Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), who takes her on a cross country cruise to experience the world. As she begins learning the ways of the world, philosophy, socialism, and intellectual norms, she evolves from a child-like state into a fully developed woman with her own thoughts, ideas, and personality.


The Good:
There's so many positives to say about this film that it'd be more difficult to think of the negatives. First of all is the story as a whole, which is based on a novel by Alasdair Gray. It's also the hardest to review because I don't want to give major plot points away, and honestly it's hard to describe it regardless. Essentially, at its core, it's the story of a woman coming into her own, thinking she needs others to lean on, and finding that she only has to rely on herself. It sounds simple enough, but with Lanthimos's brilliant yet insane mind, it's told in the most outlandish way possible: and that's a huge compliment. More than that, it's a study on philosophy, socialism, the female sexual prowess, the overall darkness in humanity, the hope of the future - it literally covers everything.

The cinematography by Robbie Ryan is truly exquisite, and there's never a dull moment of visual wonder to behold. The film begins in black-and-white to symbolize Bella's childlike innocence and uses fish-eye lenses to discombobulate the audience, but as Bella's mind is opened it turns into lavish color that "pops" in every screen. Be it the wonderful nighttime ocean sky, the bright blue sky of the town, or even the darker earth tones when Bella witnesses something horrific, the color adds more to the story than what's expected.

Holly Waddington's costume designs are equally unparalleled, turning Bella from a woman wearing plain white nightgowns into her own sophisticated sense of style with puffed-sleeves, colorful hues, and a sense of individual maturity. The production designs from Shona Heath and James Price electrify the screen in ways unseen in other films. Godwin's house of horrors, the luxurious cruise ship, the stunning Lisbon hotel and the confined Paris brothel - all locations are imaginative, vivid, and unforgettable.

Yet none of these bells and whistles would matter if the cast wasn't on top of their game, and with the likes of Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and Ramy Youssef, you get the best they've ever given. Emma Stone is intoxicating as Bella Baxter, the heart and soul of the film, as she matures from childhood to adulthood before our eyes. It's her most daunting work to date, having to precisely transfer from childhood to adulthood in the most minute ways as she slowly evolves her brain. Her comedic timing is perfect, as a child she's able to tell it like it is (like when she said she needed to punch a crying baby, something I'm sure everyone has thought of from time to time), and you sense the knowledge flooding into her brain through her eyes. They go from this infantile wide-eyed wonder to a more nuanced gaze as she comprehends the world around her, and scene to scene she matures not just in her character but her as an actress as well.

Mark Ruffalo gives a wholly unique performance here, one like you've never seen him in before. His Duncan Wedderburn as a Casanova who is also a dunderhead of epic proportions as he seduces Bella and acts like he's the best thing to happen to womanhood, only for Bella to come into her own and realize she doesn't need him anymore - resulting in a fun spoof of the classic "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Duncan crying Bella's name as she resides in her tower of sorts. Of course Willem Dafoe is in his wheelhouse as an offbeat, eccentric recluse and Ramy Youssef is the emotional heart of the movie as it seems only his motives for Bella are the most pure.


The Bad:
There are some moments where the film drags on a bit, but those are very few and far between.


The Summary:
"Poor Things" is one of those rare films that hits every right note, delivering a visually unique wonder through the capable, careful hands of Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, who both give their career-best in this film.


The Score: A+