When a young woman in Victorian England committed suicide, little did she know how much life lay in store for her. Re-animated by her de facto guardian, the scientist Dr Goodwin Baxter, Bella Baxter’s mind soon becomes increasingly alive to the opportunities the world offers. She eventually embarks on a global adventure and, unshackled by the mores of the era, sets her sights on sating all her carnal and spiritual desires. Lanthimos continues his creative collaboration with Emma Stone, who is revelatory as Bella – a performance that will help define her place as one of the most thrilling and daring actors of her generation. Lanthimos’ direction is as impeccable as ever and the screenplay, by Tony McNamara, is a pitch-perfect adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel.
You can count on Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek film-maker behind such strange creations as The Killing of a Scared Deer, The Lobster and The Favourite, to deliver on oddities. Poor Things is indeed fabulously weird.
Lanthimos has concocted a hypnotic and singular world for Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), the Frankenstein-esque creation by mad scientist Dr Baxter (Willem Defoe, plus garish prosthetic facial scars) in Victorian-era London. Part monochrome, part oversaturated picture book, Poor Things is a visual treat throughout, like a colored engraving come to life. As in The Favourite, Lanthimos makes ample use of a fish-eye lens, barrels into the base functions of the human body and revels in delectable torsions of dialogue. But the real reason to watch is Stone, in a career-best performance.
BAFTA AND OSCAR NOMINATIONS
BAFTA: 10 nominations including Best Film, Best Actress, Best British Film, Original Score, Editing, Make Up, Special Visual Effects, Costume, Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Cinematography
OSCARS: 11 nominations including Best Film, Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, Original Score, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Costume, Make Up, Editing
