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Poor Things

Name: Poor Things
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Released: 2023
Duration: 141 min

Representation Score

8.9/10

Excellent

2023

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Runtime

141 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Poor Things is a radical deconstruction of patriarchal control, focusing on a protagonist who rejects male-dominated structures to achieve autonomy. The film excels at dismantling gendered power dynamics, portraying the evolution of women's ability to drive the story as a disruptive force against traditional social architecture. However, the film's progressive stance is unevenly applied. While it masterfully challenges traditional gender roles, it remains more conventional in its approach to sexual orientation and ethnic casting, favoring 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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Category Breakdown

Does Poor Things have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story focuses on sexual awakening within an environment that assumes everyone is straight. It explores liberation and overcoming shame without centering on LGBTQ+ identities or non-binary gender expressions.

How does Poor Things portray gender?

Excellent

The film challenges traditional gender hierarchies by portraying male authority figures as weak or ineffective. It prioritizes female intellectual and bodily autonomy as the main driver of the plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Poor Things?

Fair

Settings like Lisbon and Paris suggest a multicultural atmosphere, but the casting leans towards a Western European look. Diversity is more about the setting than the characters themselves.

How does Poor Things represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative criticizes the rigid social contracts, class hierarchies, and religious formalities of the Victorian era. It celebrates personal truth over inherited traditions and institutional norms.

Does Poor Things include disability representation?

Good

Godwin Baxter’s physical scars are presented as a complex, non-traditional human experience. The film gives him a significant role and intellectual depth rather than using his disability for ridicule.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender hierarchies by portraying male authority as weak and ineffective.
Prioritizes female intellectual and bodily autonomy as the central narrative driver.
Provides a sophisticated critique of Victorian social contracts and religious formality.
Integrates disability through characters with significant roles and intellectual depth.

Limited or Absent

Lacks focus on LGBTQ+ identities or non-binary gender expressions.
Casting remains largely centered on a Western European aesthetic.
Racial diversity is more about the setting than the characters themselves.

Official 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.

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