Based on the novel by Alasdair Gray and adapted by Tony McNamara, Yorgos Lanthimos' POOR THINGS is like a backwards and upside down take on the Frankenstein myth. As to be expected, Lanthimos was never going to do a straightforward adaptation (even of the novel), and his penchant for the bizarre and outrageousness is at the fore from the very beginning.
Bella Baxter (a fearless Emma Stone) is the latest creation of Dr. Godwin Baxter (the always reliable Willem Dafoe) - "God" to his few confidants. She's the 'monster' with a young woman's body but the mind of a mere child. When one of God's students, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef - solid), arrives to observe Bella, he's as smitten as he is horrified at the Doctor's not quite human-being. The abode is also a veritable menagerie of various mutants and failed experiments.
God's castle-like home and laboratory is the first of many elaborate fantastical settings for Production Designers Shona Heath and James Price to play with. Robbie Ryan's expressive cinematography shifts between B&W and Color - and always on actual 35mm film (it's framed in a throwback 1:66 aspect ratio). Jerskin Fendrix' musical score is his feature debut and it's iconoclastic.
As striking as the early scenes are, the film truly takes flight when Bella is let loose upon the world by a rakish solicitor played by Mark Ruffalo. Bella is whirled across Europe and on a cruise ship ravishly sampling all of the sensory and physical delights of the world, especially those of a carnal nature. Lanthimos doesn't shy away from Bella's wanton newfound sexuality and revels in displaying its many varieties(perhaps a bit too relishly). It's certainly the randiest Frankenstein film since Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol's X-Rated 1974 version (thankfully, we are spared the 3D details!). Stone embraces the erotic sequences with abandon - but, approaches them with a keen purpose.
This long section of the movie also serves to show Bella's maturation on an intellectual level. Her mind is genuinely expanded along with her corpus. Her transformation could be read as feminist (and on many levels, it is), but, in a genuinely clever way; Many of the film's themes link up with Mary Shelley's 19th Century source novel. The notion of a person created against their will and desiring to be free to choose one's life path is successfully distilled here. The creation must grow and challenge their maker. Bella's drive is to seek to become articulate and experienced - to become their own creator. To have a true soul. To be their own 'God'.
When Bella returns to Dr. Baxter, the film becomes almost its own sequel. Another significant chapter or two, if a bit curtailed in length. There is also one last adroit twist which is a direct homage to a certain classic horror film of similar vintage to that of James Whale's 1931 masterpiece FRANKENSTEIN.
Lanthimos' POOR THINGS is a brilliantly designed film in both style and substance. The thematics are in tune with the design elements and vice-versa. Some of the musical selections and over-use of distorted lenses do distract, but it wouldn't be a Lanthimos film if everything was proper and pleasing. Stone is a wonder here and the large supporting cast is mostly spot on (Ruffalo is a bit miscast) with a nice turn by Kathryn Hunter as the brothel madam (Hunter was also superb in Joel Coen's TRAGEDY OF MACBETH).
Bella Baxter (a fearless Emma Stone) is the latest creation of Dr. Godwin Baxter (the always reliable Willem Dafoe) - "God" to his few confidants. She's the 'monster' with a young woman's body but the mind of a mere child. When one of God's students, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef - solid), arrives to observe Bella, he's as smitten as he is horrified at the Doctor's not quite human-being. The abode is also a veritable menagerie of various mutants and failed experiments.
God's castle-like home and laboratory is the first of many elaborate fantastical settings for Production Designers Shona Heath and James Price to play with. Robbie Ryan's expressive cinematography shifts between B&W and Color - and always on actual 35mm film (it's framed in a throwback 1:66 aspect ratio). Jerskin Fendrix' musical score is his feature debut and it's iconoclastic.
As striking as the early scenes are, the film truly takes flight when Bella is let loose upon the world by a rakish solicitor played by Mark Ruffalo. Bella is whirled across Europe and on a cruise ship ravishly sampling all of the sensory and physical delights of the world, especially those of a carnal nature. Lanthimos doesn't shy away from Bella's wanton newfound sexuality and revels in displaying its many varieties(perhaps a bit too relishly). It's certainly the randiest Frankenstein film since Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol's X-Rated 1974 version (thankfully, we are spared the 3D details!). Stone embraces the erotic sequences with abandon - but, approaches them with a keen purpose.
This long section of the movie also serves to show Bella's maturation on an intellectual level. Her mind is genuinely expanded along with her corpus. Her transformation could be read as feminist (and on many levels, it is), but, in a genuinely clever way; Many of the film's themes link up with Mary Shelley's 19th Century source novel. The notion of a person created against their will and desiring to be free to choose one's life path is successfully distilled here. The creation must grow and challenge their maker. Bella's drive is to seek to become articulate and experienced - to become their own creator. To have a true soul. To be their own 'God'.
When Bella returns to Dr. Baxter, the film becomes almost its own sequel. Another significant chapter or two, if a bit curtailed in length. There is also one last adroit twist which is a direct homage to a certain classic horror film of similar vintage to that of James Whale's 1931 masterpiece FRANKENSTEIN.
Lanthimos' POOR THINGS is a brilliantly designed film in both style and substance. The thematics are in tune with the design elements and vice-versa. Some of the musical selections and over-use of distorted lenses do distract, but it wouldn't be a Lanthimos film if everything was proper and pleasing. Stone is a wonder here and the large supporting cast is mostly spot on (Ruffalo is a bit miscast) with a nice turn by Kathryn Hunter as the brothel madam (Hunter was also superb in Joel Coen's TRAGEDY OF MACBETH).