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Poor Things

Poor Things

2023

R

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Runtime

141 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

7.1/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The story focuses on sexual awakening within a heteronormative framework. It explores liberation and the dismantling of shame without centering queer identities or non-cisnormative expressions.

Gender Representation

Excellent

The film subverts traditional hierarchies by portraying male authority figures as fragile or inept. It prioritizes female intellectual and bodily autonomy as the primary driver of the plot.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

Settings like Lisbon and Paris suggest multicultural urbanity, but casting remains centered on a Western European aesthetic. Diversity feels more atmospheric than character-driven.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The narrative critiques Victorian social contracts, class hierarchies, and religious formality as restrictive. It celebrates personal truth over inherited dogma and institutional norms.

Disability Representation

Good

Godwin Baxter’s physical scarring is integrated as a complex, non-normative human experience. The film grants him significant agency and intellectual weight rather than using disability for mockery.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional gender hierarchies by portraying male authority as fragile and inept.
  • Prioritizes female intellectual and bodily autonomy as the central narrative driver.
  • Offers a sophisticated critique of Victorian social contracts and religious formality.
  • Integrates disability through characters with significant agency and intellectual weight.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks focus on queer identities or non-cisnormative gender expressions.
  • Casting remains largely centered on a Western European aesthetic.
  • Racial diversity is more atmospheric than character-driven.

AI Analysis

Poor Things is a radical deconstruction of patriarchal control, centering on a protagonist who rejects male-dominated structures to achieve autonomy. The film excels at dismantling gendered power dynamics, portraying the evolution of female agency as a disruptive force against traditional social architecture. However, the film's progressive stance is unevenly distributed. While it masterfully subverts gender roles, it remains more traditional in its approach to sexual orientation and ethnic casting, leaning heavily on a Western European aesthetic. Ultimately, the work functions as a sophisticated critique of institutional norms, using a surrealist lens to celebrate individual liberation against systemic oppression.

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Featured in

  • Best Gender Representation in Film
  • Best Gender Representation of the 2020s
  • Best Disability Representation in Film
  • Best Religious & Cultural Representation in Film

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