Table of Contents
On February 1st, one of the most anticipated films of the year arrived in Brazilian cinemas. With distribution of Searchlight Pictures, Poor Creatures (poor things, in the original) emerged causing the most varied debates about the controversial themes that it proposes throughout its plot. However, what seems to be unanimous is the technical quality of the work, which earned a total of 11 Oscar 2024 nominations, the main award in the world for the universe of seventh art.
Starring Emma Stone (La La Land, 2016), Willem Dafoe (The headlight, 2019) and Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight: Secrets Revealed, 2015), the film is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The favorite, 2018) and screenplay by Tony McNamara (cruella.
The plot of Poor Creatures
In a pure act of passion for science, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Williem Dafoe) brings back to life the woman he subsequently began raising as his daughter: Bella Baxter (Emma Stone). With a brain that is still poorly developed, God's creation, as he is affectionately called by the girl, begins to question himself about the most diverse doubts that move the world, with a strong desire to explore reality outside his home.
Destined to seek answers about human existence and its desires, Bella sets out on a journey of discovery through some of the most symbolic places on the planet, experiencing the pains and delights of being a woman in a world made, for the most part, for men. Free from the prejudices of her time, the protagonist begins to understand the meanings of equality and liberation.
Highlights
Right at the beginning of the film, the first thing you ask yourself is: “My God! What am I watching? " Poor Creatures It starts at an engaging pace right from the start. The main effect for this are the black and white images, the amazing dialogues, while the viewer seeks to understand what happens in the scene, since with each new cut he is responsible for absorbing completely different information, which theoretically would not match well with the context.
As it goes on, the work makes you better understand the situation you are witnessing, and that is where one of the greatest magics of Yorgos Lanthimos' feature film comes: he makes your vision common in the face of strangeness.
The first piece to influence such action is the character of Doctor Godwin Baxter, played by none other than Willem Dafoe. To say that the professional responsible for notable roles in cinema is doing very well in this one is a bit of a downer, and a very small compliment. Dafoe is the soul of Poor Creatures.
In fact, a very bold observation, since his character seeks to base his life decisions on scientific results, avoiding letting his feelings influence what he does or doesn't do. In one of the biggest decisions of his career, God, as he is purposely called throughout the plot, since the word in English means “God”, gives life to the one who has the function of guiding the film until its end: the poor creature Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone.
Cast
“Bizarre” is perhaps the word that best describes Emma Stone’s performance in Poor Creatures. From the moment she appears on screen it is clear that the film was made for her. The character Bella Baxter, developed by screenwriter Tony McNamara, was explored in the best possible way by the actress, in all her personality traits, until her great evolution.
Stone starts by playing a completely innocent Bella, with the real mind of a child. Her first big challenge comes from that moment on. With vast experience in her film career, Emma assumes all the mannerisms of a clumsy and fractious girl who is determined to get to know the world from which she is cut off. The actress's work is so impressive to the point of leaving you irritated by the character's trickery. All done with a mastery that takes off your hat.
As she discovers the world, Bella Baxter demonstrates a strong development in her thinking about it. By asking so much and letting her curiosity flow, the character makes the audience question themselves about banal social rules of everyday life, to the point that at times you think: “It's true, why is this so?”. As Baxter discovers how life works, viewers are encouraged to learn along with her.
It turns out that the character's evolution is only possible because the actress evolved her work in relation to her. It's clear how much Emma gave herself to the role from the first moment. She went from an innocent child to a woman confident in herself and the decisions she made along her path.
Em Poor Creatures, director Yorgos Lanthimos makes clear how important it was for him to make a film that did not shy away from debates and sex scenes. This would even limit Bella Baxter's potential to a very shallow level. It is very rewarding to know that Emma Stone not only accepted the challenge but also threw herself headlong into the idea. With such an intense number of scenes throughout the plot, it is mesmerizing to see the actress giving herself body and soul to the work that could win her another Oscar. No wonder, she is the favorite to win the award this year.
Technical aspects
It is no exaggeration to say that Poor Creatures raises the level of cinema. After all, the feature film gives a lesson on how to use, in addition to the protagonist, supporting characters that provide the ideal rhythm for the plot. When they appear on the scene, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo set the tone for the situation. The duo plays at acting, completely free on screen, doing what they do best.
The second appears more, it's true. Because he accompanies Bella for the vast majority of the story, often serving as a counterpoint to the protagonist's curiosity. But Dafoe leaves nothing to be desired, making the viewer expect something different every time he appears on the scene.
But the quality of Poor Creatures It’s not just about the acting or the somewhat unique framing, which accompanies the moments of strangeness and enchants the audience even more. In fact, an impeccable work in production design and photography, resulting in sets that, at first glance, seem hand-drawn for each scene. Another important highlight is the editing of the film. It couldn't have been easy to fit all the content so well into a cut capable of amplifying the great work of acting, direction and script.
But still, Poor Creatures goes beyond all that. The work raises the level of cinema by showing that it is possible to talk about subjects that are considered social taboos in a natural way. By presenting sex as a central point, the film offers a series of questions and debates about sexual relations between people and all the “rituals” that involve the practice.
Desire, will and pleasure should not be suppressed by morally accepted rules, even when it is common to all human beings. That's what Poor Creatures also wants to explain. It is the journey to discover what is often hidden. In fact, opening doors for other works to do the same or go even deeper in the future.
Conclusion
Since arriving on Brazilian screens on February 1st, Poor Creatures has generated a lot of debates about its history. It's no surprise. The film awakens the feeling of discomfort, strangeness and a series of things out of place.
The point is that this is director Yorgos Lanthimos' proposal. The idea of the feature film is to encourage the viewer to embark on a journey of human discovery alongside one of the most charismatic characters in cinema in recent years.
Where to watch
The Searchlight Pictures film received a total of 11 Oscar 2024 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. The work has 92% approval from specialized critics on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
The feature film is currently showing in cinemas across the country. Therefore, after this criticism of Poor Creatures, take the opportunity to buy your ticket and don't miss this bizarre, but remarkable, experience.
Watch the trailer for Poor Creatures
See also other features
Check out the list of Oscar 2024 nominees
Source: Searchlight Pictures
Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim
Discover more about Showmetech
Sign up to receive our latest news via email.
