Poor Things (2024) Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

The filmography of Yorgos Lanthimos has often turned to bodily autonomy in the director’s efforts to tell weird, often disturbing stories. This is often combined with a musing on the nature of innocence, harking back to his third film Dogtooth (2009).

After the more austere – but no less funny – The Favourite (2018), Poor Things is a return to the darker and more surreal. Based on Alasdair Gray’s novel, it follows Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a reanimated young woman with the brain of an infant. Her father-figure/creator Godwin ‘God’ Baxter (Willem Dafoe) keeps her locked away, claiming to protect her from the outside world, while his assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) holds a candle for Bella.

It's a career-best performance for Stone, who has a physically demanding role, highlighting the contrast of Bella’s adult body and developing motor skills with stilted movements. This is particularly clear in an excellently choreographed dance sequence at the half-way point of the film.

The crux of the story comes when Bella undergoes a sexual awakening, leading to her escaping from God’s house and travelling Europe with Duncan Wedderburn (a wonderfully camp, caddish Mark Ruffalo). At no point is the audience allowed to forget that Bella is a child, albeit a child that bodily is of age. Her development and experiences are constantly at the forefront of the film.

This has caused some controversy. The Guardian called on cultural commentors to discuss whether its was feminist, due to its discussions on consent and female autonomy, or a misogynistic film that fetishes Bella. In some ways, it is both. Despite the fantastical nature of the story and almost steam-punk settings, Poor Things is set in Victorian London primarily. A time when women were considered property.

Misogynistic views are rife, and the male characters are clearly looking to take advantage of Bella. God admits that his sexual urges are only kept in check due to his paternal feelings for her. Duncan sees her as a simpleton and innocent and takes advantage of her burgeoning sexuality. Even the good-natured Max is predatory in his infatuation.

Yet the film is quick to skewer these characters. They are routinely mocked and outclassed as Bella continues to develop. Her innocence often leads to bluntness and while she is a child in very adult situations, this childishness is vocalised with pure common sense. Bella sees how female sexuality has been policed and cannot comprehend it – why do it if it is not enjoyable, and why not do it frequently if it is? She sees injustice of all sorts and takes the most direct route possible to solve it.

Is Poor Things uncomfortable? Frequently. But it is supposed to be. And Tony McNamara’s script is often quick to balance the more disturbing sequences with equally uncomfortable laughs. It doesn’t offer a perfect answer or solution to its themes, nor does it moralise the characters. By the end of the film, which flies through its extended runtime, Poor Things sparks conversation amongst the audience. Something that is often missing from modern cinema.

★★★★½

4.5 / 5

Matthew Tilt

Twitter @Matthew_Tilt