After the credits had ended, I overheard somebody in the theatre say, “Well, that was weird.” When I stopped by the restroom on the way out, somebody said essentially the same phrase to me. And, yeah, this movie is weird. But I don’t know why anybody goes to see a film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos expecting to see anything different. And, before I go any further, let me just say that this film earns its R-rating, as there’s a great deal of sex and language, so be warned. Of course, the sex isn’t really the point, nor is the weirdness. Those are just ways of getting to much more important questions.
Summing up the plot of this movie is almost impossible. I tried telling it to my wife over dinner, and it took the entire dinner. And I still felt like I was leaving so many important parts out. Still, here goes: Bella is a grown woman who has an infant’s brain in her, though she does develop quite quickly. She desires to learn about and experience the world, so she runs away from her father-figure, Godwin Baxter (she calls him God, for obvious reasons) with a lawyer. They go to Lisbon, catch a boat to Athens, port at Alexandria, then get dropped off in Paris. Along the way, she learns more about humanity and herself, for good and ill, ultimately returning to London much more knowledgeable about the world.
That overview should make it clear that part of Lanthimos’ interest is in how one develops a self or an identity. He is able to take the traditional development and compress it into a much shorter timeline, as Bella’s mind progresses so quickly. Also, by using a grown woman who has a child-like view of the world, he’s able to show the foibles and failings of civilization. Bella often breaks the spoken and unspoken rules of “polite society,” as so many people refer to it, allowing the audience to see those rules as arbitrary and capricious. For example, when she and Duncan Wedderburn (the lawyer she runs away with) are dining with another couple, the woman makes a joke by using a sexual innuendo, which everybody but Bella laughs it. She shows, though, that she understands the reference by explaining it in clear terminology that “polite society” wouldn’t use. She then goes further by talking about Duncan’s physical prowess and shortcomings. It’s perfectly acceptable to hint about sex, but not to talk about it directly, of course.
Though this comparison might seem extreme, Bella’s development seems to mirror that of the Buddha. Like him, Bella is born into confinement with a father-figure who doesn’t allow her to see the world. The Buddha is riding in a carriage one day when the wind blows a curtain open, allowing him to see a dying, poor man, which is what provokes his departure from the palace where he has lived his entire life. Similarly, Bella often rides in a carriage (or carriage-like conveyances, as the movie has a great steampunk vibe) where she sees realities about the world. When the Buddha leaves home, he explores hedonism, then intellectualism, ultimately achieving enlightenment, rooted in compassion for all beings. Bella, too, spends much of her time living life solely for her pleasure. However, she meets Martha and Harry on the boat to Athens, and she begins to explore ideas. While she doesn’t give up either of those approaches to life, as she continues to enjoy both of them, she ultimately finds meaning in compassion, even to those who don’t deserve it.
Many reviews, especially the few negative ones, focus on the feminist message of the film. Bella is a woman who asserts her individuality and agency, especially over her body and how she uses it. The one action she blames God for is one he made about her body, one even he admits was wrong. Her fiancé, Max, whom she leaves when she runs off for the lawyer, has a speech where he tells her that whatever she has done with her body is her decision, not his. Given the ways in which a variety of legislatures and courts have recently moved, such a message is an important one in 2024, and I’m glad Lanthimos conveyed that idea. However, the larger idea about compassion seems equally important, given the tenor of conversations and behaviors in the U.S. today. Lanthimos might not be making a connection to the Buddha at all, but a message of acceptance and compassion is always welcome, but it seems particularly important today.
Summing up the plot of this movie is almost impossible. I tried telling it to my wife over dinner, and it took the entire dinner. And I still felt like I was leaving so many important parts out. Still, here goes: Bella is a grown woman who has an infant’s brain in her, though she does develop quite quickly. She desires to learn about and experience the world, so she runs away from her father-figure, Godwin Baxter (she calls him God, for obvious reasons) with a lawyer. They go to Lisbon, catch a boat to Athens, port at Alexandria, then get dropped off in Paris. Along the way, she learns more about humanity and herself, for good and ill, ultimately returning to London much more knowledgeable about the world.
That overview should make it clear that part of Lanthimos’ interest is in how one develops a self or an identity. He is able to take the traditional development and compress it into a much shorter timeline, as Bella’s mind progresses so quickly. Also, by using a grown woman who has a child-like view of the world, he’s able to show the foibles and failings of civilization. Bella often breaks the spoken and unspoken rules of “polite society,” as so many people refer to it, allowing the audience to see those rules as arbitrary and capricious. For example, when she and Duncan Wedderburn (the lawyer she runs away with) are dining with another couple, the woman makes a joke by using a sexual innuendo, which everybody but Bella laughs it. She shows, though, that she understands the reference by explaining it in clear terminology that “polite society” wouldn’t use. She then goes further by talking about Duncan’s physical prowess and shortcomings. It’s perfectly acceptable to hint about sex, but not to talk about it directly, of course.
Though this comparison might seem extreme, Bella’s development seems to mirror that of the Buddha. Like him, Bella is born into confinement with a father-figure who doesn’t allow her to see the world. The Buddha is riding in a carriage one day when the wind blows a curtain open, allowing him to see a dying, poor man, which is what provokes his departure from the palace where he has lived his entire life. Similarly, Bella often rides in a carriage (or carriage-like conveyances, as the movie has a great steampunk vibe) where she sees realities about the world. When the Buddha leaves home, he explores hedonism, then intellectualism, ultimately achieving enlightenment, rooted in compassion for all beings. Bella, too, spends much of her time living life solely for her pleasure. However, she meets Martha and Harry on the boat to Athens, and she begins to explore ideas. While she doesn’t give up either of those approaches to life, as she continues to enjoy both of them, she ultimately finds meaning in compassion, even to those who don’t deserve it.
Many reviews, especially the few negative ones, focus on the feminist message of the film. Bella is a woman who asserts her individuality and agency, especially over her body and how she uses it. The one action she blames God for is one he made about her body, one even he admits was wrong. Her fiancé, Max, whom she leaves when she runs off for the lawyer, has a speech where he tells her that whatever she has done with her body is her decision, not his. Given the ways in which a variety of legislatures and courts have recently moved, such a message is an important one in 2024, and I’m glad Lanthimos conveyed that idea. However, the larger idea about compassion seems equally important, given the tenor of conversations and behaviors in the U.S. today. Lanthimos might not be making a connection to the Buddha at all, but a message of acceptance and compassion is always welcome, but it seems particularly important today.