The year may be coming to an end, but the box office is still firing on all cylinders in the final weeks of 2023. After its release was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike in September, Poor Things starring Emma Stone is finally in theaters. And from the critics’ reactions, it sounds like director Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest project was worth the wait. Critics are all praising the performances, particularly Stone’s, and given what we know about Poor Things, we might want to keep our eye out for this title when awards season rolls around.
Adapted from the novel by Alasdair Gray, Poor Things tells the story of Bella, who is brought back to life by a scientist (Willem Dafoe), but as she develops emotionally, intellectually and sexually, she yearns for more and runs away with a debauched lawyer (Mark Ruffalo in a role he was initially scared to take). In CinemaBlend’s review of Poor Things, Mike Reyes calls the film “a frank and funny exploration of self-fulfillment.” He rates it 4.5 stars out of 5, writing:
