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Imagine if John Hughes’ teen dreams met with Tim Burton’s goth and gunk from the ’80s – that’s the wild ride that Lisa Frankenstein has in store for you. Influenced by ’80s comedies and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this coming-of-age romance written by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams is both unholy and hilarious.
Lisa Frankenstein re-imagines Mary Shelley with ’80s weirdness
The ’80s were filled with crazy comedies that embraced love, sex, and death with relish. Lisa Frankenstein taps into that era, mixing cheery iconography with a gleefully messed-up storyline that combines horror and humor in a dynamic way.
Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse make a monstrous power couple
In the movie, Kathryn Newton plays Lisa Swallows, a high school misfit who befriends The Creature (played by Cole Sprouse) from a nearby cemetery. What starts as a strange friendship escalates into mayhem and murder as Lisa embraces her inner Dr. Frankenstein, stitching together fresh corpse bits to her undead bestie.
Lisa Frankenstein is wonky, weird, and wondrous
Director Zelda Williams makes her feature debut with Lisa Frankenstein, a film that starts off shaky but finds its rhythm through a mix of flashbacks, drug trips, and dream sequences. Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse shine in their roles, bringing Lisa and The Creature to life with cocky bravado and physical comedy. The candy-colored production design and stellar supporting cast, including Carla Gugino and Liza Soberano, add to the film’s charm and quirky appeal.
Quirky Teen Rom-Com Meets Horror in ‘Lisa Frankenstein’
Because Taffy is pretty, peppy, and popular, teen movies have trained us to hate her. But Soberano complicates matters by making Taffy a undeniable delight. Though the character seem like a throwback bimbo, Cody’s script has a sex-positive and empathetic approach that embraces this smiling stepsister into the sisterhood of misfit teens. She may not be a weirdo, but generously offering her wardrobe, her optimism, and her tanning bed, Taffy is more than just an ally or plot device. While the romance between Lisa and the Creature gets daffy and deranged, it is unexpectedly this big-hearted cheerleader who keeps the film’s stakes grounded. As Lisa Frankenstein frolics into a truly bonkers third act, a single long shot of Taffy’s reaction lingers on, as do some of Cody’s sharpest one-liners.
Colorful Chaos and Delightfully Deranged Fun
Colorful and chaotic, Lisa Frankenstein might look like a quirky confection perfect for Valentine’s Day. But Cody rarely delivers something so simple or safe. Be it Juno‘s purposefully alarming love triangle, Jennifer’s Body‘s complicated portrait of female friendship (and queer girl lust), or Young Adult‘s anti-heroine’s determined refusal to grow the fuck up, Diablo is a provocateur who delights in pop culture. This time, her teen tale collides with horror, trauma, and putrid vomit, making a rom-com that is at times messy — but is ultimately a delightfully deranged treat.
In that way, she and Williams have hit the sweet spot of those ’80s comedies that have come before. Because, if we’re honest, many of them have wonky bits. But we loved them just the same. And just as the children of the ’80s claimed those creepy comedies as our own, I suspect the new generation will clutch Lisa Frankenstein, seeing every wart as a jewel in its crown.
Lisa Frankenstein is now streaming on Peacock.
