Fairy Tale subversions are nothing new.
Films like Shrek and TV shows like Once Upon a Time have maintained massive followings by giving fanbases a modern aesthetic. But while most of these stories either deconstruct or modernize fairy tales, few of these actually show how fairy tales can be relevant with modern sensibilities. Rather than simply call out the dated elements of fairy tales, director Yorgos Lanthimos weaves a seemingly traditional tale of while having fun subverting fairy tale tropes. His version of the “princess held captive by wicked stepmother/dragon and freed by a handsome prince” tale morphs into a powerful and compelling story of a woman discovering her agency and sense of self. His latest film, Poor Things, subverts and reinvents the classic narrative into true fantasy epic.
Adapted by Tony McNamara from the Alasdair Gray novel of the same name, Poor Things follows Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a naïve woman who’s raised in captivity from her “creator/stepfather” Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) and betrothed to his assistant, Max McCandles (Ramy Youseff). One night, a devious and charismatic lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), breaks into Bella’s tower, and encourages her to run off with him. She joins Duncan and slowly learns more about the world and herself along the way. Lanthimos’ subversions of fairy tale tropes are immediate and interesting. The monstrous Dr. Baxter is strict but not as wicked as Cinderella’s stepmother, Duncan is charismatic but cruder and more insecure than the dashing Prince Charming, and Bella’s freedom and self-discovery comes more from her sexual (and I mean hypersexual) awakening than the puritanical chastity of a traditional fairy tale princess. These subversion led to a lot of funny moments, especially from Mark Ruffalo, who gets more hilarious the more miserable Duncan gets trying to keep up with Bella’s journey. The nods to classic fairy tales are also amusing without feeling shoehorned in, such as a “Pleasure Island” pastiche in the form of a brothel, and Bella at one point sporting an outfit reminiscent of Disney’s Snow White reflecting her breaking out of her naïve purity. All these wonderful characters develop and grow throughout the film’s gorgeously timeless production design. The heart of the film, and best use of Lanthimos’ subversion, is Bella Baxter, and Emma Stone’s performance.
Emma Stone’s performance as Bella Baxter is fantastic. Bella’s growth out of her naïveté is astounding for its shocking level of subtlety. She’s boisterous, fun, and wild throughout most of the film, but her ever-so-slight changes in speech and demeanor develop incredibly naturally. By the end of the film, she seems like a completely different person, but it doesn’t feel jarring or out of character. Tony McNamara’s script weaves Bella’s sexual and personal discovery into a compelling hero’s journey, achieving self-discovery rather than the moral lessons gleamed from children’s stories.
While we’ve been seeing a slight but noticeable resurgence of great fantasy films like The Green Knight, The Northman, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Poor Things continues that trend by positioning itself more as an adult fairy tale than just a fantasy film. The world of Poor Things is rich with wonder and macabre, and the characters transcend from being memorable into iconic. For as modern as the ideas and themes are in the film, the comfortably familiar fairy-tale structure makes the film feel like its always existed. I loved Poor Things and I look forward to the next time I can relive Bella Baxter’s journey once again.
Poor Things will be playing again at the New York Film Festival on October 12th ahead of its wide theatric release on December 8th.
