Brilliant acting and gorgeous steampunk scenery let down by pretentious erotica and a strange take on female sexual freedom.
From the outset of this film I was intrigued; the use of monochrome, a discordant musical score and Willem Defoe's mutilated face set an unsettling scene. I also felt an eagerness to watch the development of Emma Stone's brilliantly acted character as she embarks on an adventure abroad.
Unfortunately, the film then descends into a reel of sex highlights in an attempt to be edgy. About halfway through Bella (Emma Stone) separates herself from the possessive and misogynistic men in her life by becoming a prostitute, a decision that is designed to symbolise sexual freedom and defiance against the patriarchy. To me, this is an absurd framing of prostitution, which is merely another role in which women are expected to serve unsavoury men (albeit for money). It also glorifies a profession that is, in the real world, rife with depression, physical abuse and addiction. In this way, the film fails to illustrate feminine freedom in any meaningful way.
From the outset of this film I was intrigued; the use of monochrome, a discordant musical score and Willem Defoe's mutilated face set an unsettling scene. I also felt an eagerness to watch the development of Emma Stone's brilliantly acted character as she embarks on an adventure abroad.
Unfortunately, the film then descends into a reel of sex highlights in an attempt to be edgy. About halfway through Bella (Emma Stone) separates herself from the possessive and misogynistic men in her life by becoming a prostitute, a decision that is designed to symbolise sexual freedom and defiance against the patriarchy. To me, this is an absurd framing of prostitution, which is merely another role in which women are expected to serve unsavoury men (albeit for money). It also glorifies a profession that is, in the real world, rife with depression, physical abuse and addiction. In this way, the film fails to illustrate feminine freedom in any meaningful way.
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