Poor Things: The Emma Stone Sex Scenes Controversy Explained

Director Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things" is earning rave reviews, and the film is building a lot of awards buzz following its Golden Globes nominations. But while fans and critics have been enamored by the raunchy fantasy's bizarre sensibilities and over-the-top qualities, the sex scenes have caused controversy and raised some questions about agency.

Based on Alasdair Gray's book of the same name, "Poor Things" follows Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a woman who's brought back to life by a scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). The twist, though, is that she's resurrected with the brain of the unborn child she carried before she died. She then goes on to sleep with multiple partners while her mind is still developing, which is where the controversy stems from. The film's naysayers, including popular film critic @GraceRandolph, argue that it's about a woman with a baby-like brain engaging in carnal activities with adults. As such, does she really understand what she's consenting to?

Of course, the "Poor Things" controversy was inevitable. According to ComicBookMovie, Gray's novel was accused of excusing pedophilia when it was initially published. Given that the film retains the original story's core ideas, it will likely continue to face similar criticism moving forward. That said, Lanthimos has stuck by his creative decisions and explained why the sex scenes are important to the film.

"Poor Things" director Yorgos Lanthimos doesn't agree with the criticisms being leveled at the erotic moments in his movie. He has said that he set out to make a movie about sexual liberation, so these scenes were pivotal to the story. Furthermore, he wasn't prepared to neuter the film to avoid controversy and causing upset among some viewers.

"It's weird, isn't it? Why is there no sex in movies?" he said during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival (via Men's Health). "First of all, it was an intrinsic part of the novel itself — her freedom about everything, including sexuality. And secondly, it was very important for me to not make a film which was going to be prude because that would be completely betraying the main character."

The controversy surrounding "Poor Things" will undoubtedly continue to stir debate moving forward. However, the film's defenders believe that Bella Baxter's mind is fully developed when she starts hooking up with people, and the erotic sequences serve a genuine purpose. Stone addressed the scenes at the Venice Film Festival (per Rappler), noting that they were essential for emphasizing her character's autonomy. "I was so excited and scared for all the right reasons. Bella doesn't have any shame or trauma, or even a back story. She's not raised by a society that is putting these confines on women."