Not So Poor Things: The new movie “Poor Things” is worth the watch with its unique and thought-provoking approach to female empowerment

I’ve watched many of Emma Stone’s performances from “Easy A” to “The Help” where she gave lively, funny and passionate performances, but nothing prepared me for the cinematic journey Stone took me on with her portrayal of the character Bella Baxter in “Poor Things”, director Yorgos Lanthimos’ most recent dark fanatic comedy about female empowerment.

The movie is a mind-boggling coming-of-age take on the classic Frankenstein story as it follows Stone’s character Baxter— a naive Victorian woman brought back to life, with natural curiosity and peculiar habits, as she goes on a journey to experience life in — both the good and the bad — build deep relationships and develop her own autonomy. 

Stone embraces the role of Baxter as she embodies the infantile nature of the character and her growth throughout the movie with simple developments in her speech and body language, from the way she walks to the way she communicates her emotions. 

Stone takes a character with many different layers and gives the audience a perspective, capturing the vulnerability and determination in each one. 

Baxter’s eye-opening journey is only enhanced by the work behind the lens. The cinematography in the film is meticulously crafted to portray Baxter’s experience, capturing underlying dangers with framing and camera motion, as well as shifts in understanding with color.

The film starts out in a black-and-white scheme but as Baxter finds her freedom and is exposed to a world outside of what she knows the viewers are immediately flooded with bright visuals to portray the new experience that Baxter is facing.

The film’s script managed to weave in intricate plotlines and portray profound yet underlying themes of patriarchy, capitalism, sexual liberation and self-discovery that will make you walk out of the theater still thinking about the movie’s conclusion. The dialogue is sharp and filled with dark humor that led me to some guilty laughs. 

Most importantly, the script was purposeful. Each interaction Baxter had was a building block to her final understanding of life. I enjoyed the complexity of Baxter’s relationship with her guardian Dr. Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe, as the power dynamic between the two, with Baxter depending on Dr. Godwin, had an underlying toxicity of control.

However, Baxter’s and Dr. Godwin’s uneven power dynamic is only one of the many that Baxter experiences with the men she meets in her quest for understanding the world. Each relationship is a stepping stone for the next one, as the viewer watching Baxter learn from each relationship and slowly shift the dynamics of power creates a fascinating experience in and of itself.

Throughout the film Baxter represents infantilized femininity, as she is a grown woman pushed by controlling men to live her life in a childish way that only benefits them, stifling her growth and freedom for their desires. Stone perfectly exemplifies the transition Baxter experiences as she finds redemption by taking control of her sexual desires, body and mind for herself.

While the message of the film is powerful, the copious scenes of graphic nudity and gore make it very difficult to watch and tended to overwhelm its purpose. 

The bloody scenes are definitely not family friendly but they do give the viewer a perspective of the characters’ sense of morality and their levels of empathy throughout the movie.

The sexual parts seemed excessive in the moment and did create an uncomfortable atmosphere, but they are a pivotal part of Baxter’s journey and her sexual liberation. Lanthimos truly pushed the limits to portray the raw story he wanted to show.

Although the graphic scenes are intense, the powerful storytelling, stunning visuals, unforgettable performances and thought-provoking themes from this captivating cinematic masterpiece make the movie worth seeing.