The story of Poor Things: A woman awakens to the world
Poor Things is a film that arrives fully formed, unafraid to be strange. At its heart sits Bella Baxter, a young woman in Victorian London whose life—literally—is the product of experimental medicine. A brilliant, obsessive scientist has transplanted her consciousness into a reconstructed body, and now she must navigate a world that doesn't quite know what to make of her. What unfolds is part Frankenstein riff, part romantic odyssey, and entirely its own thing. The film spans multiple continents—from London to Paris to Lisbon—as Bella encounters love, desire, betrayal, and the messy reality of human connection. It's a story about reinvention, autonomy, and what happens when you refuse to fit into the boxes others have built for you.
Behind the making of Poor Things: How Lanthimos brought literary ambition to screen
Director Yorgos Lanthimos, working from a screenplay by Tony McNamara, adapted Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel for what became an Ireland-UK-US co-production. The casting of Emma Stone proved inspired; her willingness to inhabit Bella's childlike wonder and growing defiance gave the role an emotional anchor that could've easily tipped into parody in less capable hands. The supporting ensemble—Mark Ruffalo as a morally compromised lawyer, Willem Dafoe as the Promethean scientist, and Ramy Youssef as a student caught between worlds—creates a densely layered ensemble. The film's aesthetic is deliberately artificial, even sterile at times, which serves Lanthimos's thematic interests in bodies as constructed objects. Poor Things premiered at Venice in 2023 to significant acclaim, with critics and festival programmers recognizing it as one of the year's most audacious offerings. The film carries an R rating for some graphic nudity and language. As Movie OTT tracks across multiple platforms, Poor Things has found its way onto Netflix, making it accessible to a broader audience than its theatrical run alone would've reached.
What makes Poor Things stand out: Genre fusion and fearless performance
What's striking is how Lanthimos refuses to let the film settle into a single mode. It's comedic—genuinely funny in ways that catch you off guard—yet it's also romantic, tragic, and socially conscious. The humor doesn't undercut the emotional stakes; instead, it deepens them. Emma Stone's performance is the linchpin. She plays Bella with a blank-slate quality early on—the way someone might move and speak if they'd never inhabited a body before—and then gradually infuses her with curiosity, mischief, and eventually a fierce independence. By the film's final act, you're watching a woman who's learned to think for herself, and it's genuinely moving. Ruffalo brings a particular sleaziness to his role as Duncan, the lawyer who mistakes Bella's naïveté for malleability. He's charming and repulsive in equal measure. Dafoe, meanwhile, plays Godwin—literally called "God" by his student assistant—with the kind of unhinged brilliance the role demands. The production design itself becomes a character: the film's muted color palette, the slightly off-kilter proportions of sets and costumes, all reinforce the sense that we're watching something constructed, artificial, yet deeply felt. Critics noted the film's emotional intelligence beneath its genre-playfulness, with reviewers praising how Lanthimos balances dark comedy with genuine pathos.
Where to stream Poor Things online
If you're looking to watch Poor Things right now, Netflix is your destination. The film's 142-minute runtime means you'll want to carve out a solid evening—it's not something to half-watch while scrolling. The platform's streaming quality handles Lanthimos's deliberate visual style well, though there's something to be said for the theatrical experience if you can still catch it. Movie OTT's where-to-watch widget at the top of this page will show you current availability across all platforms, so you can confirm Netflix has it in your region before you settle in.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is Poor Things based on a true story?
No, it's based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name. The story is entirely fictional, though it engages with real historical anxieties about science, medicine, and what it means to be human.
Q: Who directed Poor Things?
Yorgos Lanthimos directed the film, working from a screenplay by Tony McNamara. Lanthimos is known for his distinctive visual style and genre-defying storytelling—he's also directed The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Poor Things represents a significant evolution in his work.
Q: What's the runtime, and is it worth the commitment?
Poor Things runs 142 minutes. It's a film that earns its length—there's no filler, and the pacing, while deliberate, keeps you engaged throughout. Most viewers find it rewarding rather than exhausting.
Q: Is Poor Things appropriate for younger viewers?
The film carries an R rating for graphic nudity and language. It's definitely an adult film, both in terms of content and thematic sophistication. Not suitable for kids, but fine for mature teenagers.
Q: How does Emma Stone's performance compare to her other roles?
Many critics consider it among her finest work. She disappears into Bella in a way that feels both technically impressive and emotionally genuine—it's a role that requires her to unlearn how to move and speak, and she pulls it off without ever winking at the audience.
Final thoughts: A film that stays with you
Poor Things isn't a comfortable watch, and it's not trying to be. It's ambitious, strange, occasionally unsettling, and absolutely worth your time. Emma Stone gives a performance that'll linger long after the credits roll. If you're tired of films that play it safe—if you want something that challenges genre conventions while remaining deeply human—this is your film. Stream it on Netflix and come back to it more than once.", "watch_widget_context": "Netflix
