Poor Things (2023)

[Eric Prime]

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[filmlover]

Equally bizarre, revolting, raunchy, and hilarious in the way that perhaps only a Yorgos Lanthimos movie could be, this is a movie that dares to be different from what we've come to expect from a Hollywood picture in the 2020s (in the best possible way) while also having plenty on its mind. Breathtaking production values and cinematography, and it flies by at an engrossing 141 minutes (and for those who have been assuming that sex scenes in movies have become a thing of the past, let's just say that Lanthimos has created quite the rebuttal to that notion). Also easily among the funniest movies I've seen all year, putting the average studio comedy to shame in landing genuine laughs.

 

This is, quite frankly, the performance of Emma Stone's career, not something to be said lightly given I've always been a big fan of hers. Bella is unlike any other character she's had to play so far and she's fully up to the challenge, perfectly capturing her journey of a woman-turned-experiment-turned-woman-again who has to relearn everything in life. She's equally matched by excellent turns from Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe: Ruffalo is a hoot as a hopelessly pathetic scoundrel, while Dafoe brings additional layers to the role of the mad scientist who also serves as a fatherly figure to Bella. A slew of notable folks including Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Margaret Qualley, and Kathryn Hunter also provide capable support among the rest of the ensemble, but this belongs to Stone from beginning to end.

 

It's a demented year-end treat that arrives like a breath of fresh air from the aura of "been there, done that" which has permeated multiplex fare throughout all of 2023, and would actually make for a brilliant and unlikely in equal measure double feature with Barbie. 

 

A

[MOVIEGUY]

Watched this last week and enjoyed it but my favorite part was the couple who walked out immediately after Mark Ruffalo screams "C*NT!" at the top of his lungs to Emma Stone, which is pretty deep into the movie.

 

The animal hybrids were hilarious

Edited January 8 by MOVIEGUY