Film: Poor Things

This is the film about a young woman, Bella (Emma Stone) who, for a reason we find out much later, is slow to develop. Once she discovers a whole world outside the mansion that her ‘creator’, who she calls ‘God’, has kept her in, there is no stopping her.

First, her guardian/creator’s, sweet research assistant (Ramy Youssef) falls for her so they get engaged. Next, their lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) awakens her - as they say in the old novels - and she agrees to be wicked away across Europe to sow her oats. Of course he is seemingly twice her age and fully taking avantage but Bella is a spoilt child and reluctant to do anything she doesn’t want to, unless it is to make someone she likes happy.

With no concept of right or wrong during the 19th century, she goes with her heart and bonks her away across Europe with whoever she wants to or needs to. At one point just needed a roof over her head.

We can talk about ‘God’, (Willem Dafoe) who had a disturbing privileged childhood himself, we can talk about the unscrupulous in the lawyer, and we can talk about the cute hybrid animals or the colourful clothes and a lot more besides.

Is it feminism awakening? Not sure, I think it’s just an awakening - would a man have behaved any differently? I think not.

To call Poor Things utterly bonkers is to give it a disservice. I quite liked the hybrid animals but also liked her ingenuity.

It is too exhausting to see again but worth seeing what the fuss is about once.

7/10