Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things introduced moviegoers to Alasdair Gray’s eponymous 1992 novel. The dark comedy stars Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo alongside Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, and Vicki Pepperdine. It chronicles Bella Baxter’s (Stone) journey of self-discovery after an ingenious scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe), gives her another chance at life. Released to rave reviews and positive ratings, the film stood out for its refreshing premise, technical quality, and compelling lead performances.
Stone won Oscar and Golden Globe’s Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, just as Ruffalo received nominations from both organizations for his supporting role. Poor Things bagged 11 Oscars, 11 BAFTAs, and seven Golden Globes nominations, making it one of 2023’s most successful projects. The film was also a commercial success as it grossed over $117.6 million at the box office against its production cost of $35 million. The following are some of the best movies like Poor Things.
1. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Also directed by Lanthimos, The Killing of a Sacred Deer carries that absurd but thought-provoking tone that sets Poor Things apart. While their stories are inherently different, both films explore eerie circumstances, leaving viewers with a strong impression regarding ethical behavior and retribution. The Killing of a Sacred Deer follows Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell), a cardiac surgeon who befriends a teenage boy Martin Lang (Barry Keoghan), and exposes his family to a sinister threat. With unexplained powers, Martin compels the surgeon to choose a family member to kill as payback for the professional misconduct that claimed the life of his father. Released to positive reviews, the suspense mystery was nominated for numerous coveted awards for its screenplay, cinematography, and actors’ performances.
2. Frankenhooker (1990)
Frankenhooker’s absurd premise brings Poor Things’ Bella Baxter to mind. The body horror, sci-fi dark comedy directed by Frank Henenlotter revolves around Jeffrey Franken (James Lorinz), a mad scientist on a mission to recreate his fiancée Elizabeth (Patty Mullen), who was shredded by the lawnmower he gifted her father on his birthday. Jeffrey harvests body parts from prostitutes and successfully brings Elizabeth back to life. Upon meeting his retribution, he’s horrified to learn Elizabeth has brought him back to life with his head attached to a body crafted from body parts of female prostitutes. The movie received average positive reviews but grossed only $205,068 against a production cost of $2.5 million at the box office.
3. The Shape of Water (2017)
Like Poor Things, The Shape of Water revolves around a female protagonist determined to follow her heart. The dark romance fantasy directed by Guillermo del Toro follows Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute and lonely cleaner who falls in love with an amphibious creature held in a secret government research facility. Learning the Amphibian Man (Doug Jones) will be vivisected, she embarks on a mission to save his life. The Shape of Water was both a commercial and critical success. It grossed over $195.2 million against a $19.5 million production budget, winning four Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.
4. Brazil (1985)
Brazil’s surrealism and dark humor are the core elements it shares with Poor Things. The dystopian, steampunk dark comedy directed by Terry Gilliam stars Jonathan Pryce as Sam Lowry alongside Kim Greist, Robert De Niro, and Katherine Helmond. It tells the story of Sam, a bureaucrat in a totalitarian government driven into insanity as he becomes an enemy of the state while trying to help the woman he sees in his dreams. Brazil was released to mixed-positive reviews but won two BAFTAs with two Oscar nominations among other prestigious accolades. The film has garnered widespread critical acclaim over time, ranking among the greatest British movies ever made.
5. The Lobster (2015)
Another dark comedy from Poor Things’ director, The Lobster is set in a dystopian future that mandates singles to find a romantic partner within 45 days or risk being transformed into animals. This premise is reminiscent of Alfie Blessington’s (Christopher Abbott) fate in Poor Things. Upon realizing he’s a menacing threat to her freedom, Bella and Max McCandles (Youssef) transplant a goat’s brain into his head, effectively turning the General into a human-goat hybrid. The Lobster grossed $18 million against a production budget of $4.5 million. It was nominated for Oscar’s Best Original Screenplay alongside many other coveted awards. Check out 5 questions Wednesday Season 2 should answer.
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