How a Victorian experiment in autonomy became a polarizing 2023 cinematic sensation

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Yorgos Lanthimos's Poor Things reimagines a 1992 novel as a retrofuturist odyssey. Starring Emma Stone as a reanimated woman discovering the world, the film earned universal acclaim for its visual ambition and lead performance, while simultaneously sparking intense debate over its portrayal of female agency and its departure from Scottish source material.

The film follows Bella Baxter, a woman in an alternative 1882 London whose body is reanimated by the unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. After she dies by suicide, Godwin replaces her brain with that of her own fetus, granting her an infant's mind in an adult body. As Bella matures, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, exploring sexuality, philosophy, and social inequality while navigating the controlling tendencies of the men around her.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos and screenwriter Tony McNamara developed the project over several years, with Lanthimos securing rights from author Alasdair Gray as early as 2009. The production, which filmed in Hungary in 2021, utilized a distinct visual style often described as steampunk. The film was a significant box office success, grossing $117.2 million worldwide against a $35 million budget, and won four Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Emma Stone.

Despite its commercial and critical success, the film faced sharp criticism. Some reviewers argued that the film's depiction of Bella—who begins with an infant's mind—undermines its feminist themes, labeling it an example of the 'born sexy yesterday' trope. Others, particularly in Scotland, criticized the film for stripping away the original novel's specific Scottish roots and satirical edge. Critics like Manohla Dargis found the narrative design rich but the ideas thin, while others defended it as a bold, genre-defying masterpiece.

The film's legacy remains complex. While it is frequently cited as a career-best performance for Stone and a triumph for Lanthimos, it serves as a lightning rod for discussions regarding the limits of the male auteur's vision. Whether viewed as an exhilarating fairy tale or a misguided take on empowerment, Poor Things remains a defining, if divisive, entry in 2020s cinema.

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