I had quite a journey with this movie before it even came out. I adore Emma Stone and when I first heard she had a new movie coming out, I immediately added it to my watchlist. But then the first trailer for the film was released and it seemed extremely bizarre and out there and I wasn’t sure it would be for me. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has not been my style in the past. Then, in the fall, the movie premiered at film festivals and received rave reviews. Not only that, but many people at the time were saying it was the front runner for Best Picture at the Oscars. After that reaction, I decided I had to give it a shot, despite my hesitations.

It turns out my initial gut feelings were right: this movie was not for me. Why, though, is a question I’ve been asking myself ever since seeing it. I like movies that push the boundaries of storytelling and the form itself and also that show you something you have never seen before. So why didn’t this one work for me? I completely respect and appreciate this movie for doing all of those things. But I think there are certain scales that I have more limits on than others. Saltburn was shocking and wild in a way that felt salacious and fun and a little dangerous which I was totally on board for. Last year’s Best Picture winner Everything, Everywhere All At Once was absolutely off the walls insane in a chaotic and surreal way, but it’s also balanced with tons of heart and sincerity that I was both enthralled and moved by. The absurdity of Poor Things crosses over into an area of wackiness and eccentricity that I personally find more grating than entertaining. All movies walk these very, very fine lines of tone and atmosphere and just one step in a certain direction can impact perception and enjoyment. For whatever reason, whatever brain chemistry or psychological experiences I’ve had, I can enjoy and tolerate a “crazy” movie as long as it doesn’t lean too far into weird whimsy. What I will furthermore be referring to as “the Poor Things zone”.

I’ve heard people compare this film to Barbie which I think is strangely apt. On the surface, the movies have nothing in common and, in that matchup, Barbie is very clearly more my aesthetic. But at their core, both films tell the story of a woman learning about her own humanity (and what that even means) and finding herself in the world. Poor Things looks a lot at freedom and repression and if those concepts are inherently developed or learned from society. Essentially, the movie argues that society (mostly represented by men) likes to impose rules and control on freedom (mostly represented by women). Is society just threatened by the power that comes with independence or is there a real need for order among chaos? Unlike Saltburn which uses absurdity for empty shock value, Poor Things does have some real philosophical questions on its mind.

This movie does not work at all without Emma Stone. I have been a fan of her work and her as a person for a long time and from knowing her and hearing her talk about this movie, I know she loves weirdness like this. I’m glad she just got to have fun with it and you can really see that come through on the screen. She’s so amazingly fearless in this role in a way that I cannot imagine most other actors doing. Mark Ruffalo is brilliantly playing against type to incredible effect. He has curated such a quiet, nice guy persona that seeing him here as a misogynistic, womanizing scoundrel is surprising, entertaining, and impressive.

This movie is deeply and supremely weird. That does not mean it is bad. It was funny, wildly imaginative, and unique. The world it creates has a specific look and feel that are so unusual and entirely singular. I found certain parts more enjoyable than others, but it was mostly just not for me. Had it not been for the Oscars buzz, I probably would not have seen it, but I’m glad I was pushed outside of my comfort zone to try it out. Poor Things seems to have fallen out of the top spot in the Best Picture race by this point, but we’re still months away. I think the movie was really well done across the board by so many immensely talented people and I can see how it would be praised and rewarded for that. If you are considering seeing this film, just be prepared for the weirdness. Maybe that’s your thing. Unfortunately, this specific flavor was not mine.

2023 Count: 30 seasons, 54 movies, 1 special