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Poor Things (film)

205 replies

TinselAngel · 14/01/2024 17:50

Has anybody here seem Poor Things yet?

I went to see it this afternoon and sat slightly horrified in a cinema full of chortling people, about Emma Stone's character being relentlessly exploited by men but this being portrayed as not being altogether a bad thing.

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PotteringPondering · 14/01/2024 19:14

PotteringPondering · 14/01/2024 18:58

I haven't seen it. But I did hear the discussion about it on Radio 4's Front Row arts programme about a week ago.

The two guests loved the film ('the main character is just exploring her sexuality' etc), but the presenter Sameera Ahmed said how deeply uneasy she felt, about exactly the point you make. Apparently the character does prostitution, to see what it's like?

Interestingly, this is the same Sameera Ahmed who recently hosted the chat with Naomi Klein at the Royal Festival Hall, and challenged her lazy stereotypes around gender ideology. Hooray for Sameera's voice of compassionate sanity.

Oops, spelling should be Samira Ahmed. Apologies, Samira!

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TinselAngel · 14/01/2024 19:09

Apparently the character does prostitution, to see what it's like?
She needs the money, but also thinks sleeping with other men will be interesting. The motivation isn't inconsistent with her character but whilst the consequences of her naivity are shown in other areas (eg giving money away), there's no negative consequences to being prostituted other than people judging her.

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PotteringPondering · 14/01/2024 18:58

I haven't seen it. But I did hear the discussion about it on Radio 4's Front Row arts programme about a week ago.

The two guests loved the film ('the main character is just exploring her sexuality' etc), but the presenter Sameera Ahmed said how deeply uneasy she felt, about exactly the point you make. Apparently the character does prostitution, to see what it's like?

Interestingly, this is the same Sameera Ahmed who recently hosted the chat with Naomi Klein at the Royal Festival Hall, and challenged her lazy stereotypes around gender ideology. Hooray for Sameera's voice of compassionate sanity.

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TinselAngel · 14/01/2024 18:19

Sunnava · 14/01/2024 18:16

I actually loved it, and experienced it as a comment on men’s (desired) imprisonment of females.

What did you think it was saying about it?

All of the men were exploiting a woman who didn't actually have the capacity to consent, yet I felt we were supposed to see it a a story of sexual liberation.

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Sunnava · 14/01/2024 18:16

I actually loved it, and experienced it as a comment on men’s (desired) imprisonment of females.