I watched Poor Things this Monday, and I loved it. I shouldn't be surprised I ended up relating to Bella a lot, having read some takes comparing her experiences with those of autistic people, and yet here I am, though as a young man who has indulged in some questionable things over the years, I could say I also related, to some degree, with Alex, Duncan, and even Lord Blessington xD The way Alex transforms his initially very questionable feelings for Bella into something practical and good is myself at my best; the way Duncan transforms his awful feelings for Bella into something obsessive is myself at my worst; the way Lord Blessington seeks to have absolute control over Bella is my potential worst; and the way Bella navigates the world, at points retarded and at points hyper-developed in her growth, exploring at the same time both her sexuality and its relationship to social injustice, and ultimately committing herself (whether in the most productive way or not, only her later history will judge) to the betterment of the world, is the general arc of my life so far, both for good and for ill.
