#REVIEW: “POOR THINGS”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) has been brought back from the dead by eccentric Scientist Godwin “God” Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Knowing there may be a lot of questions, Godwin keeps her hidden despite her desire to learn and explore the world around her. And once lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) enters the picture, Bella will never be the same again.

What follows is the kind of journey only a genuine madman like Director Yorgos Lanthimos can deliver. This certifiably insane Auteur is responsible for the likes of The Favourite (also starring Stone), The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Lobster (along with a few nuttier films he did in his native Greece). If you were a fan of any of those, then you will be right at home watching POOR THINGS. If you would describe one or all three of those pictures as being absolutely revolting or worse, then you should probably look elsewhere for your holiday entertainment. The Film hits the ground running right from the jump; so you will have very little time to run for the hills if you are feeling uneasy.

I am hyperbolic on purpose here because I do not want to mince words – POOR THINGS is an otherworldly masterpiece and one of the year’s very best films. Period. Full stop. Pencils down. There is simply no other way to describe it. I had a huge smile on my face watching this Movie more than a month ago and have been itching for it to be blasted into my eyeballs again ever since. It is a work of art that transcends the medium, easily becoming Lanthimos’ most accomplished picture and provides the kind of communal theatrical experience that very few films have offered post-2020.

While it is all too easy to read Writer Tony McNamara’s (who wrote The Favourite and Cruella) adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s Novel as a not-so-subtly feminist take on Frankenstein, it is so much more than that. It tackles themes of sexual and bodily autonomy, (mainly white) male fragility, and the sheer concept of what makes us human in a beautifully moving and perversely depraved way. In other words, it is the kind of wild tale that Lanthimos has built his career on. Some on social are already boiling down the film’s complexities and spoiling the sexual politics at play, alongside some of the more fantastical science fiction elements that drive the Film. Those bad faith arguments feel rather reductionary, and do a disservice to what a powerful film POOR THINGS becomes over the course of its 141-minute running time. While I do not want to spoil key details of Bella’s adventure – which the marketing has done an exquisite job of hiding – I do think it bears noting again that if this does not sound like your idea of fun, you are not going to enjoy watching this.

All of that said, the Film itself looks spectacular. It starts in a stark black and white before exploding into a vivid colour scheme that will leave you mesmerized. The Production Design by Shona Heath and James Price is gothic and very steampunk-like, bearing more than a few passing similarities to the Bioshock video game series. The look feels very in-tune with its science fiction underpinnings, creating a world that feels simultaneously both familiar and unfamiliar. The sumptuous Costume Design work by Holly Waddington is gorgeous, and Robbie Ryan’s (another returning member of The Favourite crew) Cinematography is magnificent. And yes, he finds ample opportunities to incorporate the fish-eye lens Lanthimos adores so much.

That high praise would be meaningless however if not for the incredible Ensemble Lanthimos has assembled. Ruffalo and Dafoe (barely recognizable behind some truly hideous makeup) are equally hilarious and tragic, each delivering some of the best work of their careers. Ramy Youssef is wonderfully naïve and charismatic, and smaller turns from Margaret Qualley, Suzy Bemba, Kathryn Hunter and future Wolf Man star Christopher Abbott are all terrific and truly memorable. I would be remiss to not highlight Jerrod Carmichael specifically, who is delightfully nihilistic and nearly steals the Film away from everyone around him.

And Stone?

Well, she is absolutely breathtaking and captivating in every single second of every single one of her scenes. It is the kind of ferocious and absolutely fearless performance that few actors are able to match and most actors can only dream of giving. She leaps into every scene with reckless precision, no matter what often outrageous thing is asked of her. The emotion she gives to every line and action is tremendous, and the way she lands every deadpan joke is unbelievably hysterical. I would go so far as to say her work here is flawless and arguably the best performance she has ever given, her Oscar-winning work in La La Land included.

I know I may have convinced some of you to steer clear of POOR THINGS. And while I respect your decision, it comes at the cost of missing out on a truly monumental piece of cinematic brilliance that only a truly deranged mind like Yorgos Lanthimos could deliver. It is a masterpiece through and through, anchored by an unforgettable all-timer performance from Emma Stone. When Martin Scorsese talks about Cinema, films like POOR THINGS are what he is talking about, even if he would never be bold enough to drop a reference to “furious jumping” in any of his upcoming projects.

Searchlight Pictures Canada release POOR THINGS exclusively in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal on Friday, December 15, 2023, and across Canada on Friday, December 22, 2023.