The female actors who give their all make it watchable, the bumpy direction does not.
What it's about
After her mother dies, Lisa (Kathryn Newton) moves in with her stepdad’s family and starts senior year in a new school. Lonely, she visits a nearby grave where the man of her dreams (Cole Sprouse) magically comes to life one day.
The take
Written by Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) and directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of the late Robin Williams), Lisa Frankenstein is a playful, funny, and stylish take on ‘80s horror and coming-of-age romcoms. Unfortunately, those traits alone are not enough to give the film the weight it needs to stand the test of time. There’s a clumsiness to the direction that, ironically enough, makes the film seem like parts lousily stitched together, instead of a coherent whole. There are pauses that are too long, transitions that feel off, and questions left unanswered. Why does it feel natural for Lisa to kill people? Was she close to her mom? What does her relationship with The Creature indicate, apart from the trite and obvious “outcasts must stick together”? Lisa Frankenstein doesn’t have to answer all these to be a good film, but when things are shallowly rendered, they become hard to ignore. It prioritizes pulpy gimmicks and visual gags that are admittedly fun to watch, but leaves behind equally important matters that flesh out Lisa as a person.
What stands out
All that said, Newton, Liza Soberano (who plays Lisa’s stepsister Taffy), and Carla Gugino (who plays her stepmom Janet) all give delightful, campy performances that somehow make the viewing worth it.
Comments
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Breaking the Waves (1996)
Lars von Trier breaks his rules in the tearjerking first film of the Golden Heart trilogy
8.1
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.
9.0
The Breaking Ice (2023)
Three lost souls find a warm connection in this wintry, delicate drama
7.0
Lust, Caution (2007)
A wartime spy falls for a collaborator in this erotic espionage drama
7.3
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (2023)
A cynical, but terribly honest portrait of the indignity of modern life
7.9
Cleaners (2019)
A weird and wonderful coming-of-age anthology featuring classic moments in 2000’s Philippine high schools
8.4
Cold War (2018)
A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals
9.2
Problemista (2024)
Dark, weird, poignant, and funny, this debut feature by Los Espookys star Julio Torres is a modern parable of the American Dream
8.6
The Farewell (2019)
Awkwafina shines in this complex culture clash comedy.
9.1
Wild Tales (2014)
Co-produced by Pedro Almodóvar, this tumultuous Argentine anthology film tests the limits of human sanity when pushed to the extremes – and will also test yours.