I watched Poor Things. I'm not sure why.

I really thought Poor Things was a feminine manifest, without thinking for a single moment that Bella Baxter was written and directed by men. I went into the movie thinking it would put me in touch with a woman discovering everything life has to offer on her own terms, not bound by the “polite society” or the chagrin that comes with accepting the world. I thought the movie would explore what a child’s wonder can accomplish in an adult’s body. Unfortunately, I was disappointed, I think.

There are certain points in the story that did excite me. As someone who discovered sexual pleasure very early in life [Read: Morticia is Okay for reference], it’s fascinating to see that even though we don’t know how old Bella really is brain-wise, her body calls to be explored. And explore she does, even suggesting her cranky-ass maid to try it. 

Another thing I really like is her to-the-point dialogue early in the movie. As an adult with a full-grown vocabulary, I find it hard to seek the words that fully describe how I feel. But Bella does it with such ease, especially when it’s the most difficult to do. Its funny to see Mark Ruffalo’s character caution Bella from falling in love with him, only to fall for her, get rejected and end up institutionalized. LMAO. 

I like how once Bella gets a taste of philosophy and meets people who don't take offense to her inquiry about their sex lives, is when she truly begins to think for herself. It’s a refreshing break from all the sexual exploration when she gives herself a chance for intellectual stimulation. And when it happens for the very first time, opening your brain to new ideas can sometimes be the best thing to happen to you. For example, last night, while rewatching John Wick after years, I realised how great an idea it would be to write a story about an after-murder cleanup crew comprising of housewives. A very “Good Girls meets Widows” if you will. 

I like the fact that for every chance her life offers her, Bella takes it up. I like to believe that sometimes you gotta say yes to everything that comes at you. Life can surprise you if you do. I like the fact that Bella takes the whole “stranded in Paris with no money” as an experiment. I wondered to myself, “Why can I not be so open to trying new things, or have that outlook on life when things don’t go my way?”. Maybe everything is an experiment at the end of the day and the point is to explore, experiment, take the lesson, and put it to use to explore further. 

It’s also rather fascinating to see that while Bella is merely a child, she’s constantly around adults who have even little sense of the world than she does [she tells a cynic that he’s a broken boy, and he sorta agrees]. She figures out what makes every dude in the movie tick with such ease, that you’d think she’s a psychology student. Hence proving, that there is nothing as such as adulthood. Not everyone ends up becoming Yoda or Oogway. Most of these fuckers are faking it.

That being said, I’m not sure why the movie dwells so deeply on Bella’s sexual exploration.  The initial fucking, I understand. The brothel too, to some extent. But the genital mutilation towards the end seems rather forced. Whether it is Yorgos Lanthimos’ own spin on depicting how society tries to control women’s bodies or just lazy writing, I’m not sure. 

A review of the movie I read said: “Poor Things was Barbie on Absinthe”. Man, for all the award snubs, Barbie was the movie I went into the theatre expecting some adult-Mattelised version of Taylor Swift frenzy [if that makes sense], and that movie really touched a part of me that I didn’t even know I should’ve acknowledged. God, Barbie made me want to run home and hug my mother until she knows how grateful I am to her for my beautiful life. Poor Things starts off really well but I feel, falls too deep into the male gaze. However, Emma Stone does brutal justice to Bella Baxter. Even though we never know what gender the unborn baby is or how normal aging compares to this adult-body-infant-brain aging, Emma Stone smoothens the transitions and time jumps [if there were any].

I didn't for one second, think it was a rendition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, by the way. Especially after reading that Frankenstein's Monster was probably Shelley's way of portraying her sexuality [something society looked down upon and was a matter of shame for Frankenstein], I'm obligated to suggest that it may have inspired the idea for Bella's birth, but that's where it stops.

All in all, Poor Things is a fun watch, and if anything, do watch it for Emma Stone’s sake. But if you’re expecting it to be anything more than a comedy, you’re in for a disappointment. I think I’ll go rewatch Barbie now. 

Ciao!