I haven't seen it, or read the book (though I have read Lanark, which I loved, though it was a long time ago), so can't comment on how it's dealt with, but part of the reason I haven't watched it is that I find it hard to get past the premise of a highly sexual adult woman with a child's brain. That's an extremely tricky line to walk, and I'm not convinced 'Hollywood film, based on a novel written by a man, with a screenplay written by a man, directed by man' is the way to do it.
(I did like "The Favourite"; I had no idea many did, actually I thought it's some understated movie-nobody-knows-about-that-I-stumbled-upon-on-Netflix. I've a poor education when it comes to cinema-even though one would think research is easy.
Sometimes I don't watch things deliberately because everybody talks about them, and then I find them 10 years after. Sometimes I just miss things for some reason. In any case-thank you for the great review)
I'm always doing this. I believe that we discover the things we need to discover exactly when we need to. I'm either twenty years ahead of everyone else or a lifetime behind! xx
I honestly didn’t know what to think about the film. Almost stopped watching in the beginning because I really don’t enjoy watching people vomit and spit out food. My favorite moment too was when she and the wonderful woman on the ship become friends. I resonate with all of your points here. Thank you for articulating. I think I continued watching because of Emma Stone and her costumes..
I fell asleep at one point as I found the endless fucking tedious and I felt the point had been made at least 30 minutes earlier. When I woke up, still fucking.
This was not a film about female empowerment it was just pornography dressed up as high art.
I've not seen the film, and probably won't, but I read other reviews that were as equally scathing ("a man’s manicured vision of women’s liberation"). Not every film is for everyone, and whether you love it, or hate it, presumably comes down to tastes, experience, and personal preference. A bit like a 3d magic eye picture, some people see wonderful things and others just see a geometric pattern.
Absolutely. I'm always interested in something that provokes different reactions in people. If we all liked the same thing, the world would be a dull place indeed. I think I was so annoyed because I really wanted it to be the film that other people saw, but for me it just wasn't.
I always find this so frustrating. Either watching something that has been hyped, recommended by someone whose tastes I always thought aligned with my own, or which on paper should just be perfect...and it's just not! It genuinely makes you rethink the fundamentals sometimes. 🤷
This piece is brilliant! Sharply observed and articulated; I love it! Thank you for putting this together so eloquently and with great humour. I absolutely agree .
You found it "an endless parade of erotic titivation, which seemed to me to be entirely about the male gaze." I feel like we saw entirely different movies. Bella reveled in her own body and her ability to orgasm. It was hilarious and wonderful. The men were simply tools in her discoveries. Hardly needed! Bella forged her way right past any rules of society, any games played by men on women, or women on men. She was simply wholly herself. I loved this movie. I also loved his first movie Dogtooth. When I saw that one, about one third of the audience walked out, so if you watch it, be forewarned.
I get all of the points you made. What frustrated me that all of the above could have been dealt with using one or two scenes and then we could have spent the rest of the film exploring other aspects of Bella's personality and life. Sex did not have to be the lens by which nearly everything was discovered by her. I'm not going to watch more of his films. I watched this one because I really wanted to like it and had heard fantastic stuff about it. Sadly I didn't experience it the same way as you and many others did.
I'm so delighted you hated it and now I don't have to watch it. I've hated all the trailers...when Stone was on Graham Norton she looked like it had made her terribly ill, and I could never bring myself to watch The Favourite either. Thank you for your public service!
You're not a harridan, just selective with your BS free passes. Your review made me think of a brilliant stack posted in Feb - ashamed that I can't remember who wrote it - that examined women's struggle for equality and how it is so threatening to men. Threatening because our collective societies have placed men in the center of everything and men in general are blind to that fact. Your review of Poor Things reminded me of that stack in the way that the story was told, "through the male gaze."
I knew I wasn’t interested in seeing this film and now I know why.
Some people absolutely feel the opposite to me about it, so you know, you might love it. x
I haven't seen it, or read the book (though I have read Lanark, which I loved, though it was a long time ago), so can't comment on how it's dealt with, but part of the reason I haven't watched it is that I find it hard to get past the premise of a highly sexual adult woman with a child's brain. That's an extremely tricky line to walk, and I'm not convinced 'Hollywood film, based on a novel written by a man, with a screenplay written by a man, directed by man' is the way to do it.
Yes! That’s such a big part of it. It felt so dangerous
Love all you said, and agree. Your writing is wonderful and captivating. Can’t wait to read more reviews!!
Thanks. x
I'm going to watch it now
(I did like "The Favourite"; I had no idea many did, actually I thought it's some understated movie-nobody-knows-about-that-I-stumbled-upon-on-Netflix. I've a poor education when it comes to cinema-even though one would think research is easy.
Sometimes I don't watch things deliberately because everybody talks about them, and then I find them 10 years after. Sometimes I just miss things for some reason. In any case-thank you for the great review)
I'm always doing this. I believe that we discover the things we need to discover exactly when we need to. I'm either twenty years ahead of everyone else or a lifetime behind! xx
I honestly didn’t know what to think about the film. Almost stopped watching in the beginning because I really don’t enjoy watching people vomit and spit out food. My favorite moment too was when she and the wonderful woman on the ship become friends. I resonate with all of your points here. Thank you for articulating. I think I continued watching because of Emma Stone and her costumes..
Stone is magnificent. She goes from strength to strength
Completely agree to all your points.
I fell asleep at one point as I found the endless fucking tedious and I felt the point had been made at least 30 minutes earlier. When I woke up, still fucking.
This was not a film about female empowerment it was just pornography dressed up as high art.
I really wanted it to be better, but yes.
Yep
So bloody disappointing.
We are harridan. Or doe we need a collective noun?
I like 'We are harridan.' Obviously it should be followed by: 'Hear Us Roar!'
I've not seen the film, and probably won't, but I read other reviews that were as equally scathing ("a man’s manicured vision of women’s liberation"). Not every film is for everyone, and whether you love it, or hate it, presumably comes down to tastes, experience, and personal preference. A bit like a 3d magic eye picture, some people see wonderful things and others just see a geometric pattern.
Absolutely. I'm always interested in something that provokes different reactions in people. If we all liked the same thing, the world would be a dull place indeed. I think I was so annoyed because I really wanted it to be the film that other people saw, but for me it just wasn't.
I always find this so frustrating. Either watching something that has been hyped, recommended by someone whose tastes I always thought aligned with my own, or which on paper should just be perfect...and it's just not! It genuinely makes you rethink the fundamentals sometimes. 🤷
Yes. That's it, exactly.
This piece is brilliant! Sharply observed and articulated; I love it! Thank you for putting this together so eloquently and with great humour. I absolutely agree .
Thank you. x
You found it "an endless parade of erotic titivation, which seemed to me to be entirely about the male gaze." I feel like we saw entirely different movies. Bella reveled in her own body and her ability to orgasm. It was hilarious and wonderful. The men were simply tools in her discoveries. Hardly needed! Bella forged her way right past any rules of society, any games played by men on women, or women on men. She was simply wholly herself. I loved this movie. I also loved his first movie Dogtooth. When I saw that one, about one third of the audience walked out, so if you watch it, be forewarned.
I get all of the points you made. What frustrated me that all of the above could have been dealt with using one or two scenes and then we could have spent the rest of the film exploring other aspects of Bella's personality and life. Sex did not have to be the lens by which nearly everything was discovered by her. I'm not going to watch more of his films. I watched this one because I really wanted to like it and had heard fantastic stuff about it. Sadly I didn't experience it the same way as you and many others did.
I'm so delighted you hated it and now I don't have to watch it. I've hated all the trailers...when Stone was on Graham Norton she looked like it had made her terribly ill, and I could never bring myself to watch The Favourite either. Thank you for your public service!
You're welcome! x
Yup. I couldn't even watch it til the end. Another harridan here.
We are legion!
You're not a harridan, just selective with your BS free passes. Your review made me think of a brilliant stack posted in Feb - ashamed that I can't remember who wrote it - that examined women's struggle for equality and how it is so threatening to men. Threatening because our collective societies have placed men in the center of everything and men in general are blind to that fact. Your review of Poor Things reminded me of that stack in the way that the story was told, "through the male gaze."
Ooh, if you ever remember what it was, let me know. xx
I too am a harridon
We will unite!
That seems entirely fair to me. x