You could call this film Frankenstein meets My Fair Lady, meets Belle du Jour. Emma Stone, as Bella, is a tour de force in the hands of leading edge Director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favorite). And Writer Tony McNamara handles Bella’s developmental steps well as she outgrows baby talk towards becoming a full blown female physically, intellectually, socially, and especially, sexually. Stone is fearless, delivering a range of expressions, some appropriate, some not, from serious to ridiculous, clueless to all-knowing with various types of humor.
Bella came from the lab of scientific genius, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Dafoe looks deformed with scars as if he has already been one of his experiments. The film begins with Bella Baxter acting like a very young child. She knows nothing but the attention, direction and affection he bestows upon his creation in their beautiful Victorian home. He knows just how to handle her.
The first part of the film is in black and white, harkening back to the old Frankenstein flicks for Bella’s early development. Lanthimos introduces Bella as a child in a woman’s body who has literally been born in his laboratory. She can barely speak, but calls out to the doctor as she comes charging clumsily through the hallway to hug her “Bah Bah!”
Dr. Baxter brings in a young Max McCandles as his assistant (Ramy Youssef) to help him teach Bella about the world she is about to encounter. Max is smitten, but she moves rather quickly on to a much more exuberant character, impulsively running away with playboy Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo). Ruffalo is a marvel embracing a role that is far different than any you’ve seen him play before. He is outrageous, hilarious, crude, and just as fearless as Stone portraying this rich cad who introduces Bella to the richer side of life including the pleasures of the flesh.
Duncan is loud, rich, a gambler and risk-taker who becomes totally captivated by this child-like female. She is going to learn so much on an extravagant adventure sailing around the world on a luxurious ship with the flamboyant Duncan as her enabler. The set designs include whimsical representations of puffy waves on the sea, and exquisite moonlit ship decks. The staterooms are suites decked out in gorgeous Victorian detail. And the more Bella learns and explores, the richer the detail and color of the film. The sets, views and vistas become more and more saturated with color and detailed through the lens of Cinematographer Robbie Ryan as Bella is allowed to explore and grow.
Bella’s exploratory excursion with Duncan includes scene after scene with them going at it in just about every sexual position possible. She becomes a sex addict, obviously enjoying every session with her new beau, Duncan, casually asks after on obviously satisfying encounter, why not just tay in bed and do this all the time? But Duncan is a cad and she finally slaps and unloads the sex crazed weirdo, much to his dismay.
As Bella outgrows the people she meets, Bella changes her look with very different attire and attitude, to a more tailored look, taking control, ready to find her next adventure, using her sexual prowess as a top performer in a brothel in Paris. There, everything is black and red, with lace and satin, or nude.
Although presumably this film takes place in a Victorian era, Lanthimos didn’t want a that or any other specific look. Most of Bella’s wardrobe is not period at all, with many scenes not wearing anything. The director uses fantastical sets and costumes made using current materials and some futuristic looks. Costume Designer, Holly Waddington told us in our interview that the Lanthimos did not want to go sci-fi, but wanted something that combined older eras with new, combining old designs with futuristic materials, including plastics and metal and an unusual pallet.!
Watch our interview with Holly Waddington at The Chicago International Film Festival about working with Lanthimos and the first time she brought outfits to show the creative, collaborative Emma Stone. She also talks about those big puffy sleeves as a symbol of power for women in different eras, but also being a challenge with camera angles. Plus using unusual textures of fabrics, even plastics. And per the director’s orders, no corsets!
The supporting cast adds their own bit of humor with comedian Jerrod Carmichael and German actress Hanna Schygulla as they help Bella explore the world. But Kathryn Hunter, small but strong with a cunning smile is incredibly good as the smarmy as the Paris madame who has her own way of showing how much she cares for Bella, her very best hooker.
It’s obvious Yorgos Lanthimos wanted to create a supremely unique adventure for a woman who never stops evolving and transforming. Stone infuses Bella with a thirst to experience every aspect of life, becoming a beacon of liberation, acceptance and learning. Emma Stone’s performance is rock solid as Lanthimos delivers laughs and gasps in this rich film which is anything but poor.
Searchlight Pictures 2 hours 21 minutes R
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