Poor Things is my number one movie of the year thus far. There’s still time left for Perfect Days or All Strangers Here as both trailers look like a heart crushers, but it’ll have to be supreme to beat Lanthimos direction with the delectable screenplay by Tony McNamara (Oscar nominee for another Lanthimos, The Favorite) and Alasdair Gray, a Scot who has only prior tv experience. Of course without the knockout performers Mark Ruffalo, Willem DaFoe and Emma Stone the film might have seemed absurd.
Ok, I have to take my enthusiasm down just a notch. The dialogue is the delectable part, the screenplay length, well? Shall I say it had a wee too much salt. By that I mean, the movie is too long, BUT the part that should have been cut was in the very beginning 15 minutes so by the time the film ends, forgiveness is bestowed.
Without spoiling a thing, one of the overarching themes is men’s attempt to own or control women and the ability to overcome such restraint.
Without delving too far into my own life, I can tell you that possessiveness is a buzz kill (I know not ‘new’ news), but Yorgos makes this so much fun to watch.
Another theme is the need and the attempt to help those less fortunate than you and whether this is futile.
Lanthimos dares to ask questions, to pose solutions both successful and not, and to have hope that we can eventually live in peace. Gee, wouldn’t that be nice.
