It was the biggest shock of the Golden Globes 2024 - Emma Stone’s new film Poor Things beat the Barbie movie to win Best Musical or Comedy.
Poor Things marks the third collaboration between Emma Stone (La La Land, Easy A) and director Yorgos Lanthimos after the release of The Favourite in 2018 which Emma starred in alongside Olivia Colman (The Crown) and Rachel Weisz, and the short film Bleat in 2022.
But what exactly is Poor Things about? And when are you going to be able to watch it?
What is the plot of Poor Things?
A darkly comical spin on the classic tale of Frankenstein, Poor Things tells the story of a young Victorian woman called Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) brought back to life by scientist Dr. Goodwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe).
The plot follows Bella as she learns about the world around her – specifically sexuality - and runs off with problematic lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo).
Is Poor Things based on a book?
Poor Things is based on the 1992 novel of the same time by Alasdair Gray which won both the Whitbread Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize.
Speaking about the process of acquiring the rights to the film, Yorgos Lanthimos revealed that he met Alasdair Gray in person at his home in Glasgow saying, ‘He was a very lovely man. Unfortunately he died just a couple of years before we actually made the film, but he was very special and energetic.’
Who stars in Poor Things?
As well as Emma Stone in the lead role of Bella, Poor Things also stars Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers) as lawyer Duncan Wedderburn and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man) as scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.
Golden Globe-winning actor and comedian Ramy Youssef (Ramy) is set to play Max McCandles, Emmy Award-winner Jerrod Carmichael (Rothaniel) as Harry Astley and Maragret Qualley (Maid) as Felicity.
Is there a trailer for Poor Things?
The trailer for Poor Things was released two months ago.
What are the reviews like for Poor Things?
The reviews for Poor Things have been extremely positive. As well as the eight-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival, the film currently has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated film of Oscar winner Emma Stone. The film also has Metacritic score of 94 meaning ‘Universal acclaim’.
Giving Poor Things a four-star review, The Independent hailed Emma’s performance saying, ‘Stone gives surely the boldest performance of her career so far, in a role that puts upon her heavy physical and psychological demands.’
The Guardian gave the film five stars writing, ‘[Yorgos Lanthimos’] leading lady is someone who takes it to the next career level, or the level beyond the next level: Emma Stone. She gives an amazing and hilarious performance as the sexual-innocent primitive Bella Baxter.’
When is Poor Things set to be released in the UK?
Poor Things is released in UK cinemas on 12 January 2024.
Where will Poor Things be available to watch?
Poor Things is set to be released in cinemas in the UK on 12 January 2024 - details of the at-home release are yet to be announced.
How long is Poor Things?
The run time of Poor Things is 2 hours and 21 minutes making it the longest film of Yorgos Lanthimos’ career.
What is the rating for Poor Things?
Poor Things has been rated an 18 certificate in the UK for strong and pervasive sexual content, graphic nudity, disturbing material, gore and language.