"Poor Things" is undeniably right up my alley. At its core, I love these highly creative, whimsical freak films. It also makes me deeply admire Yorgos Lanthimos's mind. Such a script, such high execution, eerie music, and a distinct style—all these undoubtedly make him a genius.
At the beginning, it really reminded me of "Frankenstein." The director likely borrowed some ideas from it to conceptualize this film. It's through this strangeness that we are gradually led into Bella's world, exploring the world alongside her.
During the viewing, I felt my worldview and values challenged numerous times. Strictly speaking, I felt provoked. The director breaks with mainstream philosophical and theological values. The people Bella meets each have their own unique perspectives. Whether I agree or not, I must acknowledge that this is a new way of looking at things. Given their identities, their views are very reasonable. This film also prompted me to think about many new perspectives. Many lines made me ponder deeply. While reflecting on life, I also questioned, "Why do these lines make so much sense to me, when I never thought this way before?" Due to this tendency to dance on the audience’s boundaries, I expect this will be a polarizing film. Those who like it will love it, and those who don't will strongly dislike it.
Regarding the sex scenes in "Poor Things," I noticed many short reviews gave negative feedback, so I want to counter that a bit.
I didn't find these scenes voyeuristic because I was almost entirely focused on Emma Stone's facial expressions and acting. I saw how she enjoyed, learned, and expressed her feelings, so it didn’t feel voyeuristic to me. Of course, the scenes are explicit, so opinions may vary.
I believe sex is neither devoid of merit nor something to feel ashamed of; it's also a way of learning. Through sex, she encountered many beautiful and ugly aspects of the world, which helped her explore what it means to live and how to live.
Moreover, I don't think it's wrong for a woman to achieve sexual climax through a man. Bella essentially uses men as tools for release or learning, toys for exploring pleasure. She doesn't seek or crave these men's love. She becomes a prostitute because she happens to need sex and money, not to please or cater to those lewd men. Bella doesn't derive pleasure only from men's sexual acts; she can also achieve pleasure through self-redemption and intimacy with women. Her sexual pleasure isn't dependent on needing men.
Bella's choices are driven by her own will. She is pure, unbound by societal morals. Everything she does is because she wants to discover and explore herself, making her truly free after her awakening, not manipulated by anyone. She did become a prostitute and gave men pleasure, but not by intention. She always acted for herself, using sex and adventure to interact with different people and environments. By reading and practicing, she enhances her abilities to explore the true meaning of living. That is to live for oneself, unbound and free.
I originally thought the story would end after the wedding when they returned to England. However, an unexpected twist revealed Bella's past, providing a clever contrast to the present Bella, enriching the film's layers. While ending with the wedding and finding the true meaning of love would have worked, it would have wasted the earlier buildup. The director didn’t disappoint; this segment was very impactful. The former me gave up on life because of unhappiness, but the new me found joy in living, so while I'm not afraid of death, I want to live.
A special mention must go to the film's art design. The taste is impeccable! London remains London, Lisbon remains Lisbon, Alexandria remains Alexandria, and Paris remains Paris, but all are reimagined in a dreamy, beautiful, and surreal way, fitting Bella's perspective of exploring the world. Perhaps the real world isn't romantic, but to Bella, untainted by worldly pollution, everything she sees is novel and intriguing.
The use of black-and-white and fisheye shots is also interesting. The purpose is to focus on "human behavior and expressions" rather than dialogue or bloody scenes, preventing the audience's attention from being diverted. This achieved great results and added an artistic touch to the film.
The film is filled with black humor due to Bella's innocence and freedom from moral constraints, making it quite charming and eliciting laughter from many. It’s indeed a black comedy, making its nomination for the Golden Globe's musical or comedy category very appropriate.
This is a coming-of-age film, allowing the audience to reexamine themselves along with Bella, relearn life, and start afresh as a blank slate. Overall, the viewing experience was great, and the time flew by. In short, it’s highly recommended.
If you think this is male fantasy or female degradation, fundamentally, your mindset is no different from the men in the film, and you’re not suited to watch this movie. It's not healthy to shy away from discussing sex.
One more thing, the world is only in color when Bella's soul feels free. I wonder if this was the director’s intention?
Share your thoughts!
Be the first to start the conversation.