POOR THINGS (2023)

December 6, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos is possibly the most divisive director working today. Movie goers tend to either love his films like THE FAVOURITE (2018), THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (2017), THE LOBSTER (2015), and DOGTOOTH (2009) or walk away baffled that any decent human being could enjoy such dark works of strangeness and oddity. Despite this, two of his films have received Oscar nominations, and this latest may be both his most accessible and most outrageous project yet. It’s also a rare outing where Lanthimos left the writing to others. His co-writer on THE FAVOURITE, Tony McNamara (“The Great”) has adapted the screenplay from the 1992 novel by renowned Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, whose tome was influenced by Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”.

Oscar winner Emma Stone delivers a truly remarkable (and physically demanding) performance as Bella Baxter. When we first meet Bella, she has the mind and coordination of a toddler in an adult woman’s body … the product of Dr. Godwin Baxter (you can call me God), played by Willem Dafoe. God is a surgeon-slash-mad scientist, his own scarred body the result of experiments conducted by his father. God is both doctor and monster. Although various animal blends (ducks, chickens, dogs, etc) roam the premises, it is Bella who is clearly God’s most treasured production. Her reanimation process and backstory are spelled out in the movie.

Bella develops daily, and when Godwin’s lawyer, Duncan Wedderbum (Mark Ruffalo) shows up to take care of some business, he is intrigued by Bella and offers to take her on an adventure … one that ultimately spans Lisbon to Paris, and a luxury cruise ship to a brothel. Duncan and Bella engage in “furious jumping” (her phrase for sex) and soon her libido is quite advanced, and her river of independence flows freely, turning Duncan into a whiny buffoon. This story, Bella’s story, is really about a woman finding her own way in a world where men try to control/manager her. It’s fascinating to see her hyper curiosity about the world and her surroundings. On top of that, Bella is often quite direct and unfiltered in her statements.

The humor here is frequent and unconventional as evidenced by Bella being described as “a beautiful retard”, and the stream of deadpan one-liners. Still, the message comes across loudly and clearly as we marvel at Bella and Emma Stone’s performance. I hesitate to use the word fearless (unless it’s Tom Cruise) since it’s just acting, but the word applies to Ms. Stone here. Supporting work comes from Christopher Abbott, Margaret Qualley, Ramy Yussef, Jarrod Carmichael, Hannah Schygulla, and Kathryn Hunter, while Mark Ruffalo revels in flashing his comedic chops.

Cinematographer Robbie Ryan interjects black and white for effect and makes good use of the fish-eye lens. Production Designers James Price and Shona Heath get creative with set pieces, especially the cruise ship and brothel, and Costume Designer Holly Waddington nearly steals the spotlight with Bella’s outfits, which are always a bit exaggerated. The music adds a specific element and works quite well, and there is a truly awesome dance scene. Yorgos Lanthimos again earns the title Master of Strangeness with this outlandish film with bits from Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Young Frankenstein (a common thread). The film is somehow both extremely funny and severely disturbing, and is an example of good people trying to come to grips with the realization that people often do bad things. My only complaint is the film features what are possibly the worst closing credits ever.

Opening in theaters on December 8, 2023

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4 Comments | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

C’MON C’MON (2021)

November 24, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. Not all filmmakers have something to say about human beings and human nature, but writer-director Mike Mills does … and he continues to prove it. His three previous feature films are all excellent. 20th CENTURY WOMEN (2016) was based on his experience being raised by his mother, while BEGINNERS (2010) was a tribute to his father. THUMBSUCKER (2005) focused on teen angst, and his latest is inspired by interactions with his own son and Mills’ documentary projects.

From the mouths of babes. Early on, we watch and listen as radio journalist Johnny (Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER, 2019) interviews kids in Detroit to get their opinions on all aspects of life and the world, including their hopes and expectations for the future. This and additional segments and the kids’ responses seem real, not staged, presenting a documentary feel – especially since everything is filmed in Black and White. In a rare phone call with his estranged sister Viv (Gaby Hoffman, who will always be remembered as Ray’s daughter in FIELD OF DREAMS, 1989), Johnny offers to take care of Viv’s 9 year old son, Jesse (Woody Norman), while Viv assists Jesse’s father, Paul (Scoot McNairy), who battles ongoing mental health issues.

Viv is reticent to leave Jesse with Uncle Johnny, an unmarried man with no kids of his own. But she’s desperate for the help. Most of the film revolves around Johnny and Jesse spending time together and getting to know each other. Circumstances take the story from Detroit to New York City to Los Angeles to New York City to New Orleans. It’s a terrific journey that lacks any jaw-dropping cinematic elements. These two aren’t mountain climbing or spelunking. They simply walk and talk. This allows Jesse to experience a father-figure that’s been lacking in his life. For Johnny, he gains a perspective on parenting, which contrasts with his professional work interviewing kids. Jesse is whip smart and funny, but also manipulative and confused and downright quirky. The two of them together is quite something to watch as their relationship develops.

Viv shows up mostly in phone calls with Johnny and Jesse, but flashbacks help us understand the emotional break that occurred between she and Johnny. As the two siblings mend their relationship despite the distance, Mills and cinematographer Robbie Ryan effectively use the black and white palette to negate the excitement of big cities and travel, so that we focus on the personal interactions of the characters. The photography may be beautiful to look at, but it also reminds us that to a kid, a city is a city is a city, and what matters is an emotional bond and sense of security.

Young Woody Norman is a revelation as Jesse. He perfectly portrays a normal kid with normal issues in a grown up world. Gaby Hoffman doesn’t have as many scenes as we’d like, but we certainly wish she would work more frequently. As for Joaquin Phoenix, it’s a welcome change of pace and tone after JOKER. He plays a man learning to deal with his own vulnerabilities, and he really gets to show off his extraordinary acting talent. The script is filled with psychology and philosophy, but in a grounded manner – ways we recognize from our own lives. It’s a reflective film that shows the balance of trying to protect kids and shield them from some adult stuff, while also allowing them to explore and find themselves. The impact of adults on kids and the impact of kids on adults is on full display, but it’s also just a couple of guys getting to know each other. And that’s pretty special to watch.

The film had a limited opening on November 19, and expands to more cities and theaters on November 24, 2021

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2 Comments | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson