Movie Review: Poor Things

Film appreciation and movies being a hobby of mine is a new and ever-expanding development. I started this process in my first year of sobriety as a way to eat time to fend off the cravings by living in the world's created in the art. Notoriously I hadn't seen any films that were highly regarded so I've been watching most of them for the first time in my twenties, unabated by perceptions held from childhood viewings. Working through highly praised classics that I'd undoubtedly love like Goodfellas, The Silence of the Lambs, or Fight Club built up my love of cinema, opening doors along the way into finding more niche films that scratch an itch I didn't know I had.

Poor Things was a film I saw previews for when attending showings of blockbusters like Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon that seemed chaotic and unappealing compared to these behemoth projects that fit the mold of what I knew I loved. It wasn't until I'd spent months delving into films with brilliant ways of broadcasting a message like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and American Beauty; experiencing directors with abstract ways of telling their story like Wes Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, and Damien Chazelle that I became intrigued by the once seemingly bizarre avenues of filmmaking.

When I sat down in the theater to watch Poor Things, I still had no idea what to expect as this was my first venture into the creations of Yorgos Lanthimos as a director, similar to seeing Asteroid City as the inception of Wes Anderson understanding. At first both of these experiences were met with confusion; exceedingly abstract cinematic paintings attributable to the artform in a way similar to Andy Warhol. With no prior basis to draw solace from I was just along for the ride, tasked with figuring out the eccentric style one scene at a time. The journey through Asteroid City sparked a run on the collection of Wes Anderson's films that led me to know and appreciate his style, outlining the endless possibilities in which a director meaningfully contributes to the art.

Even backed by this newfound appreciation for the different, Poor Things soared above anything I had ever seen before in the regard. The story of Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone) is one of immense complexity through the lens of complete simplicity. A full-grown woman surgically implanted with the brain of the child she was pregnant with by a Frankenstein-esc scientist named Godwin (played by Willem Dafoe). Upon realization of the sexual nature of humans Bella begins to lust for that sensation over all else; pursuing things that stimulate them like a child would albeit this looks a little different than colors or candy. Lanthimos takes you on an adventure of liberation through a "childlike" wonder about the world, each substantial character fully understanding Bella's reasoning for how she operates but simultaneously getting crushed by it. This adventure is told in unison with an equally bizarre cinematography and ominous score; camera shots from specific angles and through distinct lenses accompanied by visceral sounds that perfectly extenuate the tragic nature of the story. I vaguely described this film as, "if Barbie was sent out into the real world but the real world was designed by Wes Anderson who hasn't slept in 3 days." and that comparison perfectly explains the basics but doesn't accurately attest to its brilliance.

To me, Poor Things is the sinister story of how the world and some of the people you come in contact with try to strip you of that childlike wonder and force you into a box that suits their own desires. Often these people succeed leading us to forget who we are, shifting our view of the world to become more cynical, and ultimately damaging us beyond repair in certain aspects. It's a movie that you could draw countless conclusions from and that's the brilliance of it. It is broadly brushed in laissez faire attitude on the surface to make the story seem lighthearted, but the deep undertones tell the true story; liberation is an attack on other people's idea of you and conforming to their ideas results in tragedy.

I'm grateful my film journey has led me to appreciating the different forms of storytelling otherwise the impact of Poor Things would've never been realized. It immediately became one of my most beloved movies and was one of those experiences that made me leave the theater with goosebumps saying, "THAT is why I love movies!"