Poor Things Parents Guide

Poor Things is a 2023 dark comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, known for his eccentric, satirical style in films like The Favourite and The Lobster. 

The movie is based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name, which is a Frankenstein-esque tale about a woman brought back to life after a traumatic death.

Poor Things received an R rating from the MPAA for "strong and pervasive sexual content, graphic nudity, disturbing material, gore, and language." This severe rating is indicative of the movie's unrelenting, twisted sense of humor and its refusal to shy away from nudity, violence, profanity and other mature content. Parents should exhibit extreme caution before allowing teens to view this film.

As the R rating suggests, Poor Things contains near constant mature themes and imagery throughout its 141 minute runtime. Parents who do decide to watch this dark comedy should go in understanding it was made for adult audiences and expect graphic, disturbing content. Proceed with caution.

Sexual Content and Nudity

Poor Things contains extensive and graphic sexual content, including multiple sex scenes with full nudity. According to IMDb, the film features "repeated sex scenes with movement, sounds, nudity" including "numerous scenes of thrusting sex from behind with breast and buttock nudity". Both male and female full frontal nudity is pervasive in sex scenes as well as non-sexual scenes.

In one disturbing scene highlighted on Reddit, "a stripped nude female has her eyes dug out by a male & her blood is shown gushing down her bare breasts & body while attempting to flee as the male stabs her".

According to Variety, the film features "graphic and sometimes violent sex involving Stone’s character, Bella, as she declared her independence from a lackluster marriage".

Sexual themes and conversations are highly pervasive throughout the film. Poor Things earns its R rating through unrelenting, graphic depictions of nudity and sex.

Violence and Disturbing Imagery

Poor Things contains some bloody and gory scenes that especially stand out for their graphic nature. According to IMDB's Parents Guide, there are a couple of scenes involving surgery that feature a high level of blood and viscera.

One of the most disturbing scenes involves Victor removing Ella's brain and examining it, with blood and graphic imagery on full display (Source: https://parentguiding.com/2023/10/poor-things-parents-guide.html). This scene in particular establishes some dark and unsettling themes related to death and pushing moral boundaries through science.

While the gore itself is infrequent throughout the film, when it does appear on screen it is portrayed in an extremely vivid and unflinching manner. The level of graphical detail shown during the surgery and examination scenes earn the film its R rating for violence and disturbing imagery. Parents should be informed that when gore is shown in Poor Things, it is highly graphic with significant blood and guts.

Overall, the violence aligns with the twisted, macabre themes woven throughout the film. Poor Things certainly earns its mature rating through the at times gratuitous use of graphic gore during key scenes involving mortality and unethical science.

Profanity and Language

Poor Things contains consistent and pervasive use of harsh profanity and vulgar language throughout its 141 minute runtime. F-bombs and other expletives are used regularly by various characters. According to reviews, there are over 100 uses of the F-word alone.

Sexual slurs, crude references, and derogatory terms are also heard multiple times. Characters degrade and insult one another using highly offensive language. The profanity level earns the film its R-rating and is comparable to other very graphically adult movies.

The constant vulgarity and sexual slurs are gratuitous at times. Parents should be prepared to hear obscenities and coarse language continuously if they allow their teens to view Poor Things. There is no reprieve from the harsh profanity once it starts.

Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking

There is frequent alcohol consumption shown by the lead characters throughout the film. Both Bella and Alexander are often seen smoking cigarettes and drinking whiskey and wine, sometimes to excess. Bella in particular is shown binge drinking alone and becoming extremely inebriated. There are also a few scenes that reference cocaine use at social gatherings, though drug use is not directly shown on screen.

According to the MPAA's rating description, the film earned an R rating partially for its "some drug use." While the drug use itself is limited to verbal references, the constant alcohol consumption and smoking, especially by Bella, is pervasive. Parents should be aware of the frequency of substance use portrayed in a glamorous or consequence-free light.

Positive Messages

Despite its extremely dark and disturbing subject matter, Poor Things does attempt to provide some positive messages and social commentary. The film can be viewed as a satirical take on Victorian society and human nature. Through the twisted story, it comments on the ethics of science versus nature. 

The lead female character of Bella, though created by a mad scientist, shows admirable strength and independence in fighting against the norms for women at the time. She refuses to be constrained by traditional gender roles. Some viewers may appreciate these fleeting moments of positive themes amidst the unrelenting gore and perversion.

As New Yorker film critic Richard Brody notes, Bella has a "joie de vivre that enables her to overcome her nominal disabilities."

So while small, there are some positive messages interspersed regarding empowerment and social commentary on the human condition. But parents should be aware these moments are overshadowed by the constant dark, disturbing content throughout.

How Does It Compare to Other R-Rated Films?

Poor Things is on par with other extremely graphic, disturbing R-rated films in terms of its mature content. According to one review, the film contains "about 10x more sex and nudity than Blue Is the Warmest Color" with "full nudity from both men and women". The level of nudity and overt sexuality goes beyond what is typical for most R-rated movies.

In addition, the dark and twisted themes explored in Poor Things are just as adult-oriented as other graphic R-rated films. Topics like death, morality, and the human psyche are dealt with in a very mature, shocking way throughout the film. 

As described by one critic, "Poor Things is somewhere between throbbingly and obsessively sexual in an early '70s sense of the term, and Barbie is like Opie Taylor by comparison".

Overall, parents should know Poor Things contains more graphic nudity and sexuality than the average R-rated movie. Combined with the disturbing themes, it earns its rating and is strictly adult-only viewing.

Recommendations for Parents

Based on the constant dark themes, explicit content, and unrelenting graphic nature of Poor Things, it is clear this film is intended for mature adult audiences and not appropriate for viewers under 17. Parents should use extreme caution before allowing even older teenagers to watch this R-rated movie.

The pervasive nudity, sex scenes, gory visuals, and profane language earn the film its restrictive rating. According to Poor Things Parents Guide, there are no positive messages or redeeming qualities that make the constant disturbing content suitable for teens. Even with guidance, the mature themes in Poor Things are likely too much for most teenagers to process in a healthy way.

It is strongly advised that parents interested in allowing their older teens to watch first watch the film themselves in full beforehand. This will provide the proper context to determine if the teen can handle the dark, satirical nature of the film. The graphic content is consistent throughout, rather than isolated to a few scenes easily skipped over or fast forwarded.

In conclusion, Poor Things should be considered off limits for viewers under 17, no exceptions. Parental guidance and pre-screening is highly recommended before approving mature teen viewing to ensure proper discretion and boundaries are exercised.

Conclusion/Final Verdict

Overall, Poor Things definitely earns its R rating due to the constant onslaught of graphic sexual content, disturbing violent imagery, harsh profanity, and mature themes throughout the film.

This is not a movie for the faint of heart, as it is unrelenting in its dark, twisted nature. The pervasive nudity, raw sexuality, bloody violence, and vulgar language make this entirely inappropriate for younger teenagers. Parents should think very carefully before allowing even older teenagers to view Poor Things without guidance and context.

While some may appreciate the film's satirical commentary on society and human nature, most will find it gratuitous and unsettling. It earns its restrictive rating and then some. Parents are strongly advised to watch Poor Things first before deciding if it is suitable for their family.