Every now and then, a movie that’s billed as “bizarre” or “weird” comes along that people just can’t seem to stop talking about. Currently, that movie is Poor Things. Does the shock value created by that supposed weirdness take away from the actual quality of the film, or is Poor Things the modern classic that many folks have been saying? Let’s analyze the data for this fascinating experiment to find out.

The Good

It’s not often that we see an actor so committed to a role as Emma Stone is in Poor Things. As Stone wobbles, dances, and adapts her language throughout the film, she completely loses herself in the unique character of Bella. Other performances, from the likes of acting powerhouses Willem Defoe and Mark Ruffalo, are also especially noteworthy. Ruffalo successfully dives into a kind of character he’s not typically known to play. Everyone involved uses their incredible performances to elevate the immersion into this unique world.

What truly enhances that immersion is how outstanding the production side of the film is. The production design is delightfully odd and quite impressive. From extravagant sets to wacky props, everything is eye-catching and unique. The lavish costumes tell a story on their own regarding wealth and the setting in which the story takes place. The makeup, especially on Willem Defoe’s character, is spectacular as well. His face looks like it’s actually distorted. Just about everything that went into the making of this movie and how it looks is an achievement.

Poor Things tackles both comedic and dramatic elements and handles them both perfectly. It’s hilarious when it needs to be and intense or even heartbreaking when it needs to be. It blends multiple genres and tones together without anything ever feeling out of place to create something truly entertaining.

The film explores a handful of important themes throughout. It touches on societal expectations and what is “proper” or “normal” behavior in public. These scenes make one question why certain things are considered inappropriate if everyone does them or why we shouldn’t say what’s on our minds. 

Even more importantly is that the movie sheds light on the ways men treat women. It showcases the struggle for agency in a male-dominated world as men often want to control what women do with their own bodies or their lives, or even just use them for sex. Depicting many of the men as thinking highly of themselves while actually being scumbags was quite brilliant, and even one of the kinder men realized he was in the wrong by subconsciously wanting to have control over Bella’s actions. Every message the film touches on is incorporated brilliantly and proves how incredible the script was.

The Bad

Poor Things is mostly directed very well, but there are times when director Yorgos Lanthimos tries his infamous “wacky” shots and it doesn’t work. Don’t get me wrong, they do work a lot of the time in this movie, especially much more than when they occur in The Favourite, but there are times when they break immersion and can even be annoying to look at. When a random fisheye shot or an extreme amount of vignetting is used, it makes it feel like a kid in grade school is learning how to use filters for their class project. Because this movie is meant to be more on the odd side, it does work in a lot of cases, but definitely not in all of them.

Conclusion

Poor Things is a beautifully crafted film filled with bizarre charm. It has a lot to say regarding some important messages but it never loses its entertainment value. It’s funny, heartfelt, smart, and impressively made. Emma Stone’s performance alone makes this creative movie a must-see.

Rating: 10/10

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