Just a few days into 2024 and here we are, the best film of the year. Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favourite) delivers his most accessible; an intriguing, laugh-out-loud epic that’ll take some topping in all the main categories come Oscar time.
Released in the US some weeks ago, Poor Things has been saved for British audiences after also bringing in audiences on the lengthy festival trailer since its world premiere at Venice back in the late summer. Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe are all in tip-top form from the off in this rite-of-passage tale with a twist, all told with Lanthimos’ off-beat trademark humour and strking visuals.
The film revolves around the character of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman living in Victorian England who is brought back to life by mysterious scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe) following her suicide. Bella has an childlike innocence about her, and her lack of knowledge or experience is evident from the off. She’s intrigued by most things, including the art of masturbation which she embraces early on before embarking on an adventure which spans the continent. Bella is whisked away from Dr. Baxter by wealthy lush Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) much to the behest of research assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) who has fallen head over heels with her.
As much a coming-of-age tale as an outlandish journey of discovery, Poor Things wins the viewer over early on, Bella’s charm coming through in Stone’s note-perfect performance with Ruffalo’s devilish Wedderburn also a delight in every scene he’s in.
Stone is great, and fearless in the role of Bella, a character whom we root for from the very first time we meet her, and the innocence of the character is much of her allure. The actor has never been better. Ruffalo’s oafish British aristocrat, complete with whispy, waxed ‘tasche and expensive tastes is something we haven’t seen him do ever before and was probably my favourite part of the film. The dancing scene alone is worth the price of admission. Dafoe, too is also having the time of his life, his Godwin belching bubbles whilst eating – a rather random aspect of the character that is so ridiculous it’ll have you howling with laughter every time he does it (which is rather a lot).
While based on a ’90s novel by Alistair Gray, Poor Things is undoubtedly a Lanthomos movie. Besides the dark humour in Tony McNamara’s dynamite screenplay, the film is full of Lanthimos’ customary trademarks; the oft-used fish eye lens so regularly seen in The Favourite; the familiar weird and wonderful creations of Dr. Baxter and those stunning visuals by lensman Robbie Ryan, this is the auteur at the top of his game bringing out the absolute best in his talented collaborators, too.
A smidge over 140 minutes, Poor Things whisks by. I caught the film with a packed audience at last November’s Tallinn Black Nights Festival where they, and I, lapped up every single scene. I didn’t want it to end. It is my favourite film of last year, and so deserves the plaudits it has so far received and will continue to receive. An absolute howling hoot and I cannot wait to see it again and bring more people along with me to witness its genius. Supremely unmissable.
Poor Things is released in UK cinemas on 12th January.
Poor Things
Summary
THE best film of the year finally makes it to British shores. Hilarious, touching and totally unmissable.
