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Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster)

Produced by: Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone

Written by: Tony McNamara (based on the novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray)

Starring: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Mark Ruffalo, Hanna Schygulla, Jerrod Carmichael, Margaret Qualley, Kathryn Hunter, and Christopher Abbot

With Poor Things we find ourselves navigating through a labyrinth of peculiarities and complexities. Unfolding is a tale that promises to start well and steadily improve, just like its protagonist Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a fully grown adult with the accelerated development of a baby brain. As the plot unravels, one can’t help but notice a recurring pattern – a predictable cycle of a woman encountering controlling men, and overcoming them through sheer exhaustion. If only the audience didn’t feel exhausted as well for a movie with ambitions this grand yet despite its intricate design and craftsmanship lacks depth and subtlety.

The film attempts to explore the growth and self-discovery of its protagonist as she transcends societal expectations. Yet, due to the introduction and performance of the film’s secret weapon Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo, successfully playing against type), the movie is sabotaged. The movie drags whenever he is not around. His exhaustion is our exhaustion, not because we agree with him, but because he is the most fully formed character in the entire film. The other supporting players; Willem Dafoe and Ramy Youssef are likeable and good enough but belong in a slightly more cartoonish film.

Deborah Davis, the female co-screenwriter of The Favourite did not co-write this and her missing point of view feels palpable in this male-dominated work that doesn’t contain a whole lot of nuance and depth to its story.

In the realm of performances, Mark Ruffalo stands out for his committed portrayal, injecting energy into his character despite the film’s shortcomings. Emma Stone’s character development, though technically demanding, raises questions about whether the Oscar buzz surrounding her performance is more rooted in the challenges faced on screen rather than the depth of her portrayal.

There’s a repetitiveness, with each of Bella’s encounters (divided into chapters) which is strongly felt from the moment Bella and Harry Astley (Jerrod Carmichael) arrive in the port of Alexandria. At this point, Mark Ruffalo’s character begins to drift in and out of the picture. And I felt my attention drifting in and out the same. The parts that held my attention were the scenes Bella had with Martha (Hanna Schygulla), Harry’s shipmate, and Madame Swiney (Kathryn Hunter) a French brothel owner. The women along with Mark Ruffalo absolutely nail the precise seriocomic tone of the story

The movie is aware of its limitations and avoids pretentiousness. Still, it struggles to break free from the shadows of its predecessor. The runtime of 142 minutes feels excessive, with many scenes that could have been trimmed down or removed contributing to the film’s repetitiveness. This is no clearer than the feeling my friend and I got when the character played by Christopher Abbott shows up at the two-hour mark embodying the feeling of tedium.

While the film deserves credit for its creativity and originality in a landscape dominated by sequels and reboots, it failed to resonate with me as much as Yorgos Lanthimos’s previous projects (shoutout to The Lobster). Though cool and aesthetically pleasing, the setting and scenes do not compensate for the lack of a compelling story or engaging character development. The movie, for all its effort, feels like a missed opportunity to deliver a truly memorable and impactful narrative.

In conclusion, “Poor Things”, despite its technical prowess and moments of intrigue, fails to break free from the shackles of predictability. It lacks the emotional resonance required for a truly impactful cinematic experience. It stands as an ambitious yet unfulfilled attempt at delivering a fresh and original narrative.

Rating: 5/10