Poor Things - Review

Emma Stone stars in the latest off-the-wall awards contender from director Yorgos Lanthimos - which is shares unexpected similarities with another awards contender.
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[@El_oh7199]

Just thinking of Mark Ruffalo's performance makes me laugh uncontrollably

[@mrpickmanb]

I'm usually not very impressed by him. I loved him in this movie.

[@lisamortini8567]

He was so hammy. Urgh

[@ririririPXN]

Bellaaaaa!!!!! 😂

[@susanalfieri4487]

The dance sequence...lol

[@liamfarrier9271]

I read the book in high school. I still think it's disrespectful that they changed the characters from Scottish to English, and the main setting from Glasgow to London. The whole book (and Alasdair Gray's work in general) is about Scottish culture being lost within the British empire at the time. Yorgos even got a tour of Glasgow from the author before he died. Its annoying how no media outlet has touched on it

[@user-np9fn6nl1q]

Is there a book?

[@J_Tevo]

It’s because people think that if you’re not a current minority ethnic group, you have no culture to lose. But what has actually happened is that empires over time, (Scandinavian, British, Germanic, etc) crushed and assimilated the other cultures around them over their rule and thus why modern-day people just say “white people don’t have culture”, when in fact some of those people are the most effected by colonialism. Less than 20% of Welsh natives can speak Welsh anymore for example. People forget, they were the first to be crushed and enslaved by the English, not anywhere in Africa or North/South America.

[@ieatgremlins]

Thank you for bringing this up, I had no idea.

[@ThePrinceofHisOwnKingdom]

Dang. This kinda lowered my hype actually.

[@blackguyofthesouth2161]

Who cares

[@hotglassfilms]

I'm so glad you brought the Barbie parallels. I felt Poor Things referred to the themes in a far more deep way, compared to Barbie. I liked Barbie, but Poor Things was fantastic

[@Kgothatsolhosie]

I left that theatre an hour or so ago and I too thought it was very similar to Barbie which I personally didn't connect with but this, later on, I did.

[@barboralitvanova5111]

Different genre for different audiences though

[@Joakim-Buht-Focker]

Totally agreed on that point. Poor Things did such a good job of masking its political messages, contrary to most big movies that tell you verbatim through dialogue with no other substance than just the message. I had a lot of fun with Barbie, I have fun watching Marvel, but it's laughable when they go on with an on the nose political rant just for the sake of it, no care for the art. It's funny atleast, unintentionally, but funny nonetheless.

[@AntonAdelson]

I saw this movie just yesterday. And I didn't see Barbie but heard about it. And while watching Poor Things I thought "This sounds EXACTLY like Barbie, at least from what everyone says about Barbie!!" And I'm so glad this reviewer had mentioned it! Surprised he is the only one I've seen so far (and I have been on a small review binge for this movie because I liked it so much!)

[@Joakim-Buht-Focker]

@@edgardoMurnia In Poor Things or Barbie? In Barbie I felt that they were deliberately making every politicial message as obvious as possible so kids can understand or so that people who have trouble reading into deeper themes could learn from it, like for misogynists or so. This hurt the movie in my eyes and ears, because it felt like they were yelling to get their point across.

[@TatendaZiyambi]

How ironic.... Or coincidental! Whenever I see that "thinking deeply" face Dan makes in the thumbnail, I literally would think "Poor thing, Dan is conflicted!"

[@topdilllin]

yup, i fell for it, also.. lol

[@maryvasilakakos7387]

This is the best and most respectful review of this film and Lanthimos as a film maker. That paradox of "distance from and closeness to" humanity in Lanthimos' perspective is spot on. Well done! ❣️

[@maryvasilakakos7387]

​@@edgardoMurnia That's an oxymoron 🤣

[@realiteaparody9198]

I didn’t pick up on the parallels between Poor Things and Barbie until you mentioned it. Great comparison! It’s refreshing when a movie can make social commentary without beating us over the head with it.

[@misspomerol]

I have a feeling this is going to become another big study in the difference in “ male gaze” vs “ female gaze” of the same journey and why each one resonates with whom and why. Dan Almost got there .....

[@cinemacola6398]

I saw a review for Poor Things calling it "Barbie for the mentally ill" and I agree. I loved this movie and do think it's ten times better than Barbie.

[@ssssssstssssssss]

Barbie did not have a good script though. It was good in other regards, but it sounds like this one has a good script.

[@cattd00]

@@ssssssstssssssssi completely agree. i don’t think the script for barbie was fully fleshed out. it was too on the nose, and lacked any interesting subtext. I feel like poor things did it so much better, but obviously, it is very much for adults lol.

[@aresef]

Yeah I saw that on Letterboxd

[@ricblessing3400]

Comparisons with Barbie are useful on themes and I’m certainly going to use “Barbie for the mentally ill” in the future, but I’m not sure which is more subversive. Both sugar coated and at times a bit in the nose and wonderfully uncompromising, but we’re lucky to get both in the same year.

[@walterwhite1]

It was the opposite of Barbie

[@Madgoosewizz_uhh]

I love that you made the connection between Barbie and Poor Things. I walked out of the theater thinking this exact thought, Poor Things is what I was expecting Barbie to be. Excellent review !

[@mufasa37]

You were expecting Barbie to have that intense of a sexual awakening??.... alright

[@NoCureForMe]

I really like "The Lobster", so - when it finally hits Denmark - I'll be seeing "Poor Things" at the theater. What a cast, by the way.

[@montenegroafro4454]

This movie was a delicious feast for the eyes, the dialogue was elegant yet crude which was hilarious to listen to, and the overall story coupled with the score felt cathartic and I loved all of it!!

[@Jacob-ed1bl]

Same!

[@lindamagagula7476]

​​​@@Jacob-ed1blthe same here. I haven't seen the movie yet. I would watch it alone.

[@Jacob-ed1bl]

@lindamagagula7476 I watched it by myself because I didn't want my girlfriend or friends to ruin it for me because I knew they wouldn't like it. As for me, it's one now one of my favorite films ever.

[@bigtimebigmac2132]

Ur gross

[@MichaelWutsch]

From what I've heard, it is way too sexual for me. Which is weird given that the main character begins by having the brain of a child

[@gabrielleroux2333]

You must be a serious prude…

[@nichellec.1752]

Saw this today and that is exactly my problem with it. I was looking forward to it bc I love Killing of the Sared Deer. While it is a beautiful looking movie and Emma is great in it, I did not care for this movie at all. I could not get past the fact that she is essentially a child doing all these things and having all these things done to her. I'm surprised no one is really talking about that aspect in any of the reviews I've seen.

[@larzjustice]

It's extremely sexual. And part of the plot is her accelerated maturity. She is in an adult body.

[@martindornan1667]

​​​​​​@@nichellec.1752 It's a book of fiction. You can't transplant a brain from a child into a woman like depicted in the book and for it to survive. The main character's development in this book of fiction is accelerated. A child wouldn't be able to talk, walk or do what Bella does in the same time frame. So I wouldn't get your knickers in a twist about the film. The book is set in Victorian Glasgow. Women in the 19th century had social constraints by society and men placed upon them. Bella was brought to life, she was a blank canvas to be manipulated by men but she became her own woman to their disappointment.

[@jonsitoa]

@@nichellec.1752because they are adults and know its just a dumb movie, its not that deep, its just a movie, stop crying

[@curtisbme]

Watched some from Mark and it was funny as he said the first day of shooting the director stopped him and asked him what he was doing. Apparently he turned things up once the camera started rolling and the director had to help him get more comfortable by reminding him he already did this in rehersal and he didn't need to 'perform for the camera'. Just reshot everything from the first day once he got relaxed and into the character again.

[@monmothma3358]

I wasn't a huge fan of Mark's performance (good, not great), because I felt he didn't fully let go and disappear into the part. He seemed slightly self-conscious. I love Mark, but he doesn't seem like the most confident or relaxed guy, and this was an unusual part for him. So I was thinking that might be why.

[@VonJay]

@@monmothma3358 Absolutely agree, I wish they used someone else, a no name or whoever as long as they delivered. He reminded me of Channing Tatum in Hateful 8 where he'd just drop the accent mid sentence. But yes he felt like he was a little too aware of the camera and the crew and didn't want become the character. I really don't know why he or Carmichael were casted.

[@TheCamcamTV]

Saw this yesterda. It was so original, so bizarre. It’s probably my favorite coming of age story in recent years.

[@derrikc9961]

A true cumming-of-age story I hear.

[@dr.emilschaffhausen4683]

Coming of age? How "old" do you think Bella's mind was by the end of the movie?

[@TheCamcamTV]

@@dr.emilschaffhausen4683 probably a lot older than yours

[@chazzer6545]

saw it at an early screening in October and really loved it, bought the book the next day and read it and liked that too, my only major criticism is about the removing of most Scottish stuff and that was made bigger once i read the book and how much of it is indulged in Scottish culture maybe that annoyed me because i am scottish but hey i still loved the film

[@michl8379]

Just watched this yesterday and really enjoyed it! The sets and costumes were especially gorgeous, the steampunk-esque mix of historical and futurism along with the saturated colors made for some stunning shots. The dynamic camerawork with every movement accompanied by a shift in the music also made for a fun experience. Bella herself is a delightful character and I think everyone freaking out about her having sex needs to calm down... for me personally it was nice to see her unabashedly enjoy sex and explore it with her own agency. And this is probably the most I've ever enjoyed Mark Ruffalo in a movie.

[@clsrocks007]

Saw it , loved it…. Don’t miss this one! Give Emma another Oscar

[@michaelstearnes1526]

Give Emma Stone an Oscar for ANY film he appears in..

[@rocknrollboy22]

I thought Dan was describing "Tangled" before he revealed that he was thinking about "Barbie" 😅

[@beatjunkybg]

Someone should mention Willem Defoe who made the audience chuckle with almost every line. Amazing actor and movie !

[@gimmibox]

The Favourite was my best movie the year it came out, can’t wait for this to expand to more theaters

[@markdaly1648]

Historians were annoyed about the way lady Sarah Churchill was portrayed in the movie. Not much is known about Queen anne from a historical point of view. Queen Anne was erased from British history

[@emma-di5ly]

@@markdaly1648It’s a fictionalization, barely even historical fiction. Never claims to be accurate.

[@dubbingsync]

For me it’s one of those movies that’s “20 minutes too long” but also falls into the “what would you cut out though?” category.

[@monmothma3358]

Some people thought the Paris sequence was unnecessarily long, and I guess I can see where they're coming from

[@JessLostAgain]

Yes! I’m so glad you compared it to Barbie in terms of themes and character development. I was thinking the same thing but hadn’t seen any reviewers make that comparison.

[@steliosioannou2800]

Georgos Lanthymos pring a unique art of filming, fantastic work - Emma and Georgos both must get Oscar on this

[@Tflash13]

The concept seems pretty creepy.

[@maryjaneshoe-fm4yr]

I'm annoyed by the fact that the critics refuse to address the immorality of her relationship with the Ruffalo guy.

[@iamrobsessed]

@@maryjaneshoe-fm4yrbut the movie addresses this multiple times. And his character gets punished in the end as well…

[@Ray03595]

@@maryjaneshoe-fm4yr because it’s not that interesting and there’s not much to discuss. Yes, having sexual relations with someone who literally has the mind of a child is morally corrupt. Bella’s discovery of her own agency and freedom from social norms is far more interesting and also addresses that concern.

[@EclecticMystic]

@@maryjaneshoe-fm4yrI'm annoyed by the fact that so many commenters seem to have completely forgotten what metaphors are in film.

[@dr.emilschaffhausen4683]

Graphic sex scenes are not metaphors.

[@trao1938]

I also made the Barbie correlation while watching. But where BARBIE hammers its message and pleads for validation, POOR THINGS lets you take the journey and draw your own conclusions. Bella isn't out to prove or solve anything.She is provoked solely by curiosity and self-interest. She is not trying to define what a woman is, because any definition would only serve to limit her. Whether men or women agree with her is of no matter..POOR THINGS is the far superiror Feminist film..

[@Arsp846]

You just contradicted yourself..if she isn’t trying to define womanhood how is this a feminist movie?

[@trao1938]

@@Arsp846 Feminism is about equality. Throughout the film, Bella is defining herself according to her own interests, pleasures, and curiosities. She does not rely upon what society thinks, what men instruct her to do, or even how other women behave. Bella believes she has the same rights as anyone else to decide what is best for herself. That's feminism..

[@314rjm]

my comparison baseline was poor things vs frankenstein. F= ugly male, abandoned by creator. PT = attractive female, "nurtured" by creator. in my opinion, those 2 core differences result in dramatically different stories, with significantly different results for the creature.

[@paradisecity0406able]

After impressing me with 'The Favourite', I hope this is another Lanthamos movie I can get behind on.

[@3110hello]

My granddaughters can watch Barbie (ages around 5) and get the sense of empowerment that is there all while they are young and growing in their life awareness- however Poor Things is primarily for adults. I am sure I will love Poor Things but doubt I will appreciate it more than Barbie as I watch the world my girls are in and am so thankful for a movie they can enjoy and learn from now. Appreciate all your work!

[@jesusalvarenga7537]

Barbie is not for kids

[@ricblessing3400]

Certainly not five year old kids.

[@RWM07001]

Absolutely loved the film. Strange, absurd and brillant.

[@kylecasey9254]

The basic premise sounds like 5th Element

[@CarolinaGonzalez-uz8yh]

Exactly! It reminded me that movie

[@timd729]

The 5th element was better

[@alinkovacs6122]

Out of pure curiosity, I watched Poor Things today. Oh man! This was painful to watch…I don’t know who was this movie made for, but it’s definitely not for me. In fact, it’s arguably, in my top 5 worst movies of all time 😂

[@dcdad556]

The music was together and recognizable, as music, towards the latter part of the movie as Bella became socialized and her speaking and vocabulary matured. The "music" before was cacouphony, disjointed and more of an effect made by a musical instrument. Bella's brain was learning, immature and incapable of organized, melodic "music". The music showed her development.

[@waywardmind]

Huh. This movie almost feels like it's the film version of the tabletop roleplaying game My Life With Master. Looks freaking great! Thanks for your review, Dan!

[@kaemmerphotography]

I had no idea what this was about from trailers and was waiting for your review. Thanks for the clarity the ads couldn’t provide!

[@CJKhaos]

Just got out from seeing this film. It was definitely an experience. I loved Yorgos Lanthimos last film, the favourite, but this is something else. The performances were fantastic, especially Ruffalo and Stone. Emma Stone is definitely the front runner for the Oscar (maybe Lily Gladstone if she is in lead and not supporting)

[@jonathanortega753]

I've never seen The Favorite but I already bought tickets for next Friday and accurately on IMDB there's a Young Frankenstein vibe and on the trailer when she says "I'm gonna punch that baby" I laugh so much that I'm going to see it unlike Aquaman 2 which maybe not interested to see it

[@MsMSB2012]

I loved both this and Barbie. I'm grateful for these stories.

[@themtgdude486]

In my opinion, The Worst Person In The World is my favorite iteration of this type of story.

[@Leo-nz4nf]

Can anyone please explain whats so amazing about this movie? Every single video I saw on it praised it as one of the best movies to come out this year. I saw most of it in theaters and walked out. The amount of sex scenes felt excessive and unnecessary, and it didn't actually feel feminist to me or my girlfriend whom I saw it with. I understand that the movie didn't support how Mark Ruffalo's character was taking advantage of Bella's mental age, but having her continue to have sex and call it "furious jumping" when its unclear what her mental age throughout the later parts of the film are felt really horrible and uncomfortable. I loved the set design and I thought Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe had great performances, but the script felt so one note to me at least. Maybe I am missing something? Can anyone please explain their take on it?

[@Anthony-dn1yu]

Shit was terrible bro, you’re not alone. I don’t know why so many people are saying it’s amazing.

[@raynmooney]

i suppose, since she has a child's brain, she doesn't understand society and sex and social norms, so she just does what she wants, like a child does, with little or no consequence. As adults we'd understand that being paid for sexual favors is seemed wrong, but a child might not. She's learning on the go. but it's also plaid out for comedy and to enrage the male character. that's my take.

[@amsrremix2239]

He’s a European style film maker . They have diff views on sex : Americans can see lots of grotesque violence on screen and not really think twice about it … The Euros feel this why about sex in movies- they are less adverse to it. Like think about how many action/ gun scenes we have in American movies … that’s apart of our culture. Europeans have a different relationship with sex - in their it’s not really extremely taboo as it is to us

[@Leo-nz4nf]

@@amsrremix2239 Okay, pushing aside the excessive nudity, this movie was praised as a great movie with great writing, not a movie to the same caliber as like a popcorn action flick that you made the analogy to. Can you please explain the brilliant writing that I am somehow missing to this film? Can you please explain how these scenes contribute towards a feminist message?

[@martindornan1667]

​​​​​​​​@@Leo-nz4nf Poor Things is a book and film of fiction. You can't transplant the brain of an unborn child into a woman and for it to survive. Bella's development in this book of fiction is accelerated. An unborn child wouldn't be able to talk, walk and do what Bella does in the time frame of the book if it did survive which it wouldn't. The book Poor Things is set in Victorian Glasgow. The social constraints by society and men on women in the 19th century were great. Bella was a blank canvas to be manipulated by men and Social constraints but she became her own woman. The book Poor Things was published in 1992 by Scottish writer and artist Alistair Gray. It won the Whitbread award and the Guardian fiction prize the same year. I really enjoyed the Book but I can't comment on the film as I haven't seen it yet. I understand that the film isn't set in Victorian Glasgow and unlike the film where the story is told through only Bella's viewpoint the book has her life and times retold from several points of view.

[@Cytron1515]

HAS NOBODY REALIZE THIS MOVIE HAS A GROWN WOMAN WOTH A CHILD'S MIND BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY A BUNCH OF GROWN MEN... HELLO. Where's the Special Victims Unit when U need 'em?

[@jujutaylor2186]

Cant wait for the Barbie and Poor things video essay comparison someone will inevitably do.

[@jujutaylor2186]

This sounds like a rather decent flick. It looks visually amazing as well

[@drewmcgill5290]

It’s rather decent

[@blackmanwithcomputer]

Eh, I don't see the Ken comparison to Ruffalo's character. Ken was just an accessory and taken for granted from the jump. He was dumb and naive, because he wasn't supposed to overshadow Barbie. This is more like what could've been negative evolution of Will Ferrell's character.

[@Thunderoo]

Like Everything Everywhere All At Once last year, Poor Things is the most original and daringly out there movie of this year. I agree that this is Emma Stone's best ever performance. Ruffalo is good but not as great as in You Can Count on Me and The Kids Are All Right, and Ramy Youssef should be getting a lot more plaudits. Poor Things is visually dazzling in both cinematography and production design. Out of about 60 new releases seen, this is the best movie of the year for me.

[@tonyg76]

I hope Poor Things is better than EEAAO. That movie went way over my head and is the most overrated movie of the decade so far.

[@jhuisenga6022]

Saw it last night, and definitely thought the same thing. Most original movie I've seen since EEAAO. Which was great - neither are for "everyone", which is what makes it so good.

[@tonyg76]

@@jhuisenga6022 EEAAO definitely was not for me. Poor Things was better, but still had its problems for me. The last two years have been mediocre Oscars wise.

[@C.Dat.guyoverthere]

I just watched it today. I definitely had to get used to its uniqueness in the first 10 minutes or so but I was on board after that. I definitely caught the Barbie parallels a bit later in the movie but I think it was because it was more subtle about the discussion on different philosophies rather than saying it outright as the punchline. I think this made my top 10.

[@AlMoSiCe210]

FINALLY saw this movie about a week ago and I essentially said to myself in the scene where Bella is seeing the atrocities of the poor that Poor Things is essentially Barbie by Tim Burton. I only give Barbie the slightest of edges over this movie BECAUSE it ran a bit long. But my God, do I love this BOLD & beautiful movie!

[@PranavanathanYoganathan]

I absolutely loved poor things and I was really surprised because I didn't like The Lobster, which in turn put me off most of Jorgas's movies.

[@HushIAmTalking]

It mostly sounds cool but the 'born sexy yesterday' trope is something i'm not a fan of and there are a couple of things mentioned here that makes me think this film has it... maybe i'll check it out anyway.

[@DanMurrellMovies]

If anything, I think this movie is a refutation of this trope. As I understand it, the role of women in this type of film is what Bella is assumed to be and strives to break free of.

[@monmothma3358]

It kind of subverts it - after a while. Bella is very strong-willed and gradually takes control. Her brain develops and soon isn't a child's anymore. On the other hand, if focuses a *lot* on sex, and Mark Ruffalo's character for a time has a naive, instinctive girl who loves sex at his disposal. Apparently the movie has a lot more sex than the book, and I couldn't help wondering if there was a little male fantasy mixed in with all the feminist messaging. Still a great movie, but I personally preferred The Lobster.

[@fojemo1661]

I just got done watching Poor Things because it arrived in our cinemas here in the Philippines just this week. And when you gave that Barbie and Poor Things parallel, my mind was blown. Wow. This is the reason why you’re my favorite critic.

[@timjackman5780]

Watched Poor Things with my teenage daughter, aftre she was little shocked i couldn't stop laughing 😂

[@duncanlandon2328]

Oh my

[@duncanlandon2328]

Definitely a good movie to watch with your teen daughter as father lmao

[@gogreenorgohome9731]

Loved this film and entirely agree with your review. I had not thought of the parallels with Barbie but it is so true. While I agree that this is a much better film, Barbie ability to delivery a very important message to a broader (maybe less discerning) audience makes it a very necessary film.

[@jonathanortega753]

The Multiverse of Barbie and Ken are Real!

[@Suzanne_sf]

I could never see The Lobster, knowing that animals were abused and worse during filming. Animals have no voice so we must speak up for them. I don't understand why more people don't understand this point of view.

[@wastagwaga]

citation needed

[@Suzanne_sf]

@@wastagwaga There's nothing in the end credits of The Lobster saying that animals were not harmed. Yet, in the movie, it shows several animals being harmed, which means that there were no witnesses from an animal group to confirm that the animals were not harmed. I read the end credits. I did see the opening scene where it shows an animal being shot & then I looked it up online to find out that there was a scene with a dog being harmed. With those scenes, you need witnesses. Then, I read the end credits. Even a movie like Slotherhouse had an animal group making sure animals were not harmed during filming & made a statement in the end credits & that is a low budget film.

[@bayonetababe9697]

This movie has been on my radar since I first heard about it. I can’t wait for it to come out around here. It’s a must see for me.

[@susanalfieri4487]

Loved it. Love Yorgos Lanthimos. The film was funnier than I expected. All the actors, even in the small parts like Christopher Abbott, the older woman on the boat, and the madam at the Paris brothel, are fabulous. Plus, the art direction, look, and sound design (as you mention) are fantastic.

[@moonverine]

Anyone else notice that the fish in Baxter's aquarium were the same breed as Gill (Dafoe) in Finding Nemo?

[@annaandre9131]

Mark Ruffalo is brilliant and hilarious in this film! And Emma stone is impressive!

[@wendellwiggins3776]

If she had evolved like a normal child there may have been more than her nymphomania to focus on instead she evolves like a AI Robot. Her character simply didn't developed into maturity which caused the film to go nowhere emotionally without any dramatic fulfilling narrative of conflict resolution. Glossy & fascinating visually, Interesting dark premise & concept with wonderful cast and acting, but a bit weak in terms of narrative intrigue and dramatic intensity that resolved or without any of the orgasmic pleasure & climaxes like those she enjoyed throughout the film! And why no sexual desires for her most humane & honest encounter, the Black guy? LOL! I just left the theater without feeling any lasting "emotional" impact & felt just as COLD AS SHE WAS towards most everyone and everything. After a while a child's brain becomes self-conscious about their social actions and that goat was just silly. SMH. Her 2 dimensional evolution didn't evolve the story. Nothing deep about this film. Just pretty filmmaking & surface bling. This was no brilliantly written, Terry Gilliam or Guillermo Del Toro cinematic gem

[@thomasgricezodiac]

Loved this movie, so glad people are making bold, interesting, fun, totally unique films like this.

[@koborkutya7338]

Fully agree with the Barbie thing. I have the same thoughts. Barbie is the product of feminist activists with artistic inclines. They set up an artistic canvas to project their poster and manifesto on and they made up a "story" so people would go into cinemas and watch them yelling their war cry, also explain their laments and hardships with very simple words for very stupid and simple people, just to make sure they get it too. "Poor thing" is the product of true artists, with artistic vision and a multi-layer story with lots of emotions, parallels, metaphors. It does not nurture covert or overt political and social agenda. It does not aim to a make everyone like it or even get it. It is obviously not for kindergarten kids. Also not in terms of mental capabilities. "Poor things"-s level of artistic quality is what the subject women's independence, growth, intellectual freedom and worth deserves.

[@ingridplaza2867]

Just got back from watching this at the theater (I saw it one of the “indie” theaters that you had shouted out in a video so thank you for the recommendation), and I absolutely loved it. This may be my favorite movie of the year (between this and Oppenheimer for now, but I still have a lot to catch up on). Your Barbie comparison is so spot on, and I felt similarly as you did to about that movie. Maybe poor things should market themselves as the “artsy Barbie” to see if that can drum up public interest. Regarding poor things, I loved everything about it, but I particularly loved the fantastical look of the scenery, the score, the performances, and, most of all, I was surprised at how much this movie made me laugh. Genuinely, one of the funniest movies of the year, and I was not expecting that

[@TBarmor]

Through your description I thought for sure you'd compare poor things with tangled instead of barbie. I guess its a common plot

[@zoeybarter3246]

I mean I really don’t think this movie is that subtle. I think it’s actually more baroque with it’s messaging than Barbie is at times.

[@artboymoy]

Looks like its kinda like a Terry Gilliam sort of vision.

[@MrBigot]

When the film started.. I wasn't sure if I was gonna like it.. I ended up loving it ! Such a quirky, yet beautiful film.

[@heltaku9397]

This film asks the audience to view Bella's story the same way she experiences it, without fear or inhibition. It's a very frank, visceral film, full of flesh, blood, and vivid color, which is perfect for a Yorgos Lanthimos take on Frankenstein. Emma Stone continues to be an actor who isn't afraid to commit to a performance with everything she has. This movie reminds me of The Favourite with an odd touch of Wes Anderson, if he were a less restrained director.

[@antoniobronx4955]

Loved everything about this movie. I highly recommend staying for the credit sequence in the end- no, not a post - credit scene but the most gorgeous art work and design for each set of credits. The most beautiful credit seduce I’ve ever seen in any film.

[@marcozuleta133]

I don't know if this is blasfemia or not, but Dan Murrel is as good as a film critic as Ebert was. The way he brakes down a film, going through the emotions of it while at the same time highlighting the ups and downs, paints a perfect picture of any film and makes you feel more curious by those movies you were curious about; makes you feel interested by those films you would never seen or wanted to hear about, and makes you feel more excited about those you were excited already. He is as impartial as he can be, and he loves everything it is to love about the art of filmmaking, making us cinema lovers proud that someone like us can reach this level of insight, wisdom and professionalism. You sir have become my favorite movie critic!

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

I had the same thoughts about it and Barbie while watching it. I really hope Poor Things gets the recognition it deserves. I think it's not only better at the messaging than Barbie but also funnier and more creative.

[@Bronzetigermask]

Dan are you planning on watching/reviewing iron claw?

[@WackoWambo]

Must watch!

[@crazycatlady8285]

My sister went with my dad and they were pretty horrified lol. My sister said it was basically soft core porn which made it really awkward.

[@markpostgate2551]

I myself, after watching the film, came up with the summarizing soundbite that "it is The Barbie Movie for grown ups", mainly to slyly point out how juvenile The Barbie Movie is! But here is a suggestion, that actually illustrates why Poor Things works as a feminist film and Barbie doesn't: the analagous character to Bella in Barbie is not Barbie; it's Ken! Ken was created to be an accessory to Barbie in the same way as Godwin made Bella to be a companion to himself, first off and then later assigns her to Candles. They are both naive and childlike characters. However Bella is tempted away by the cad character just as Ken is tempted by the book in the library, both of which offer a limited liberation from their pre-ordained function and immediate gratification. This leads to Ken sampling many Barbies, just as Bella (once she relinquishes herself from the cad's clutches) samples many men. The only real difference is Barbie manages to put Ken back into his box; no one manages to rebox Bella. The essential problem with Barbie trying to be a feminist movie is there is no patriarchy; not in the intial setting Barbieland which is designed around her, so is a Barbiarchy, nor really in the real world where it is claimed to be, and in which Barbie actually chooses over Barbieland anyway. Setting a feminist movie in a world absent of patriarchy is like having A Batman movie in which he keeps referencing the Joker, and says things like "I smell the joker's hand behind this" and "it could only be one villain in Gotham, Robin: the Joker!" but the Joker never turns up.

[@tonyg76]

Poor Things was good, but a bit weird. The sex was a bit much, but brief so I was ok with it. This or The Holdovers should win best picture. Overall, the last two years have not been great Oscars wise. CODA was the last great Oscar year.

[@emilytretyak2534]

I liked it and really vibed with the look and aesthetics but was a bit put off by the amount of sex in the movie. I’m no prude and don’t mind sex in a movie, especially when it serves a purpose, which it does here. Sexual discovery is an important part of the human experience and I’m glad it was included in the film. It was just the amount that was included really had me rolling my eyes after a while. I feel like 40+ minutes of this movie is just explicit sex scenes and then a lot of the dialogue revolves around talking about sex. The human experience does include more than explicit sex and I wish they had used at least some of those explicit scenes to touch on some other ideas, for example the erasure of Scottish heritage, which was an important part of the book.

[@SwatBeatsOfficial]

What a terrible movie. Over sexualized and kind of nasty, to be honest. They just made it as weird of a movie as possible and added as much sex and nudity as possible. It's sad that this movie was awarded.

[@bentleyhunter9370]

Minor spoiler. I struggled to connect emotionally to the film, because at first Bella seems to relish violence, and then very suddenly has the opposite response to a harrowing discovery without any experience or knowledge to make that character development work. It does get better later on, and is a great accompaniment to Barbie, but for me it works more as a comedy (Ruffalo is hilarious) and stumbles a bit over its own exploration of philosophical topics

[@chi11ary]

I’m so glad you touched on Poor Things being similar to Barbie, because through the whole film I just kept thinking “this is if Barbie met the hat man”

[@michaelgreene4816]

I didnt understand it. I didnt connect to any of the characters but it looked like a painting. Didnt love it.

[@mikegleim5241]

I'm sure there are other worthy contenders, including Barbie, for Best Costume Design, but I personally think it would be a travesty if Poor Things didn't take home some hardware.

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

“It’s a very very unique perspective” Almost like an autistic perspective 😅. To me, he makes the most sense. The Lobster basically describes what it’s like to date now a days.

[@joshtorok1983]

God so glad you mentioned the Barbie parallels. It’s amazing how two films can come out in the year with such diverting takes on an issue with such similar lead characters, stylised production, and yet one delivering a message subtly and the other spelling it out in a monologue. But perfectly delivered for their audiences. I see why Margot Robbie didn’t get nominated here against Emma Stone because if the two are effectively playing such similar characters then you can see how Emma’s has gone so much further with it and how she would cancel out Margot Robbie. Don’t get me wrong, credit to Margot, she was fantastic but to put those two up against each other it’s no competition on execution.

[@REIDiculous64]

Knew nothing about this movie before watching the review. Within the first 30 seconds of hearing what this movie is about I thought: “oh this is like another Barbie movie.” 😂 Then 7 minutes later you get to the same conclusion.

[@leonardodalongisland]

Was looking forward to seeing and now I want to see it even more.

[@TerryOnTuesday]

I thought you were going to compare it to Edward Scissorhands, as it feels very much like a Tim Burton movie.

[@themtgdude486]

Unfortunately, I pretty much hated it.

[@maryjaneshoe-fm4yr]

I think that a lot of viewers say that it's brillant for fear of being branded a dumb prude.

[@themtgdude486]

@@maryjaneshoe-fm4yr My main issue with the film is the main character (Stone) only experiences and grows through sex. I get what the film was going for but apparently the main character only develops by having as much sex as possible. In my opinion, I think there’s more to life than that. There is a point in the film where the character can have a moment of reflection on what the “real” world is and it’s completely bypassed to move onto the next sex scene ultimately. As that knowledge does nothing to the character whatsoever.

[@mathilde139]

Entirely agree. There are little to no negative review about this movie, but I honestly could not stomach it at all. I wanted to, but impossible.

[@alisterfolson]

"Poor Things is Barbie" Also, Edward Scissorhands

[@scottchristy]

I absolutely loved it. It's my favorite film of the year... it's nothing like Barbie

[@tonialston1968]

Just watched on a streaming service. I don't understand the hype for this movie. But I guess that comes down to what people think makes a "good" movie. It was very creative visually and unique (gave artistic vibe), but I think the story failed. A plot didn't seem to enter until halfway through and then it seemed like at the very end a message was rushed. When they got to Paris, I was bored. It probably didn't need to be as long as it was. It wasn't horrible, but I don't understand the praise it's getting beyond the technical stuff. I didn't care for Barbie either.

[@saml302]

I didn't hate this movie. it was definitely interesting and thought provoking, even if it beats a dead horse for a good chunk of the runtime. but it is truly a crime that Emma won for this over Lily for KOTFM. production design and score are next level.

[@christophergarrett7082]

Finally got a chance to see it. I enjoyed it alot. Loved e,ma stone performance as bella. Mark rufallo is hilarious in the movie.

[@peterdrake9615]

Poor Things is more than an anti-feminist or anti-hollywood film. Like Barbie, this film is a creation film. In this film we see ourselves, the Frankenstein monsters -- a creation of a neurotic ego formed by a surreal, techno-industrial mass-society. This film symbolizes, through the surgical re-construction of Bella's child-brain/mother-body, the devastating psycho-drama of the modern mother-child disconnect and its inevitable psycho-pathology.

[@roberthubbard5696]

You were right about all the aspects of this movie but one: the story. It’s is a mess despite a clever premise. Walk out before the last half hour. Send it back to the editor as well. Awful despite some fine acting.

[@Ruddline]

This is gonna sound bad but I watched The Curse and it really turned me off of Emma Stone. I can't imagine it being fun watching this actress have explicit sex everywhere or enjoy her monotone way of speaking.

[@suleimadali]

The sex scenes were way too graphic and too many for my liking. I wish i could unsee some of them

[@kamshafty]

This is a film from 2023 that I would like to see

[@benzos5704]

Just watched it. I LOVE 10am showings lol I think this movie does more for feminism than anything I’ve seen. Edit: Also, instead of comparing it to Barbie, I think it’s really a call to Siddhartha, the Buddha.

[@joshualieder7524]

I think the only way someone might like this film is if they were stoned and I don't smoke marijuana ever. I have seen a few scenes with Emma Stone and I find it incredible that she won best actress for such a warped bizarre role.

[@SpencerAndersonn94]

So annoyed that it doesn’t come out till next year in the U.K. 😢

[@StaminaMC]

Same. The online spaces I frequent are speaking so freely about it already I'm considering 'alternative measures' just so I don't get the whole thing spoiled for me…

[@KW-vy1rf]

Some UK cinemas are doing preview screenings of it on the 31st.

[@anthonyrodriguez4905]

Poor Things also sounds like the movie Penelope with Christina Ricci and James Macavoy

[@anthonyrodriguez4905]

It's the one where she's born with a pig nose 🐽

[@author2838]

I'm always waiting for Dan Murrell's reviews, they are so mathematical. He peels off the layers of the movie, one by one, and I like to watch, even when I don't agree with him (for example, Maestro - I thought it was a superficial mess).

[@PattisKarriereKarten]

I find the premise that a baby’s brain is put into her and then she goes and effs around a lot gross and disturbing. Dan doesn’t really talk about that. Also from what I‘ve seen in the Trailer and in this video Stone looks disgusting and moves oddly disgusting. I know it’s supposed to portray the infant character, but it’s gross to look at. One could have portrayed it the same way without heavy sex scenes. I think there are much better stories to tell.

[@asgeitz204]

It always fascinates me why anyone would feel compelled to get on a public soap box and bang on about a movie they haven’t actually seen.

[@tonialston1968]

I just watched it on Hulu last night. I think they were trying to go with the idea that as a woman, she's owning her sexuality/self-discovery. But is she really if she still never fully understood it anyway? It was an ok movie. It was longer than it needed to be. But very creative visually