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Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, was released in theaters this Wednesday, January 17. The film, starring Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe, offers a singular take on the Frankenstein myth.
Poor Things follows the adventures of Bella, a creature similar to Frankenstein’s bride, in a fictional 19th-century England. Bella is the result of an experiment carried out by a scientist who calls himself "God," in which a baby’s brain was grafted onto the body of a woman who had taken her own life.
Protected by this British Doctor Frankenstein, played by Willem Dafoe, Bella, thirsting for knowledge, escapes into the outside world, guided by a debauched lawyer played by Mark Ruffalo. Bella travels from Lisbon to Paris via Alexandria. Along the way, she wins her independence by experiencing the pleasures of sex, even going so far as to prostitute herself.
Emma Stone, awarded a Golden Globe and potentially in the running for a second Oscar, delivers a remarkable performance. The film stands out for its originality and the quality of its acting, though its distinctive aesthetic may unsettle some viewers.
Poor Things aims to be a feminist, whimsical variation on Frankenstein. Already honored at the Venice Film Festival and at the Golden Globes, the film is an Oscar favorite. Adapted from a novel by Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, Poor Things moves between retrofuturism and steampunk, offering mainstream entertainment coupled with a reflection on the norms imposed on women.