Review of 'Lisa Frankenstein': unearthing the gothic teenager of the 80s

It seems these days, teenage girls only want one thing and that's a long-dead Victorian boyfriend, awakened from his grave by a burning desire and a lightning bolt. He's sweet, he's chivalrous, his tongue has fallen out and he can't speak: dream alert!

It's a setup that's a little bit “Freaky Friday” and a little bit “Night of the Living Dead,” but in “Lisa Frankenstein,” screenwriter Diablo Cody and director Zelda Williams take Mary Shelley's iconic horror text and make it enriched with “Heathers”. -Inspired dialogue and a romantic hero in the style of “Edward Scissorhands”. But for all its ancestry, this spooky romance set in 1989 has a thoroughly modern sensibility and is about to become the new obsession of quirky teens everywhere.

The good news is that “Lisa Frankenstein” is so packed with references that run the gamut of film history (from the silent era to the Brat Pack years) that it could inspire younger generations to explore movies outside from your comfort zone. Cody's script may be entirely from the '80s (a nostalgic era for a Generation embroider the text with your own embellishments. she nodding to Georges Méliès, James Whale's Universal monster movies, and Tim Burton's early studies of suburban absurdity. And yes, there is a passing recognition of Weimar-era filmmaker GW Pabst if you listen closely.

Kathryn Newton plays Lisa, a strange outcast with a tragic, horror-movie-ready backstory and a penchant for hanging out in the cemetery, leaving trinkets on the grave of a young, handsome dead man. She has an evil stepmother (Carla Gugino) and a clueless father (Joe Chrest of “Stranger Things”); Her stepsister Taffy (Liza Soberano) is a cheerful cheerleader seriously concerned about Lisa's popularity or lack thereof.

Try as she might, Taffy just can't make Lisa fit in, but it's only when Lisa begins to accept standing out that she begins to find her power. Her transformation is largely due to her new boyfriend, the reanimated graveyard hunk (Cole Sprouse), who shows up at her door covered in bugs and rot and, after some initial tension, encourages her to adopt an edgy new look. gothic princess . He needs a makeover and some new parts, so Lisa and her friend have to resort to sordid and murderous means to acquire his missing limbs.

With this performance and 2020's “Freaky,” Newton has proven to be that rare star who looks like a true angel-faced weirdo. With her long, curly hair and big, sad eyes (here adorned with excessive makeup), she has the look of a silent movie star dressed in a costume that's Lydia Deetz's Madonna. She adopts melodramatic body language in the style of Elsa Lanchester's performance in “The Bride of Frankenstein,” combining all of these influences for a truly memorable role as Lisa. Sprouse, as the devout, mute creature, gives a surprisingly moving and romantic physical performance.

But the breakout star and true discovery of “Lisa Frankenstein” is Soberano, who has a true gift for imbuing Cody's famously clever dialogue with a sincerity that elevates the character beyond an ironic archetype as she transforms from one bad teen to a scream queen. In fact, Soberano might be too good in the role: she's so charming and understanding that an emotional domino effect occurs that exposes some problems with the script.

At a certain point, “Lisa Frankenstein” loses some heart and focuses more on the idea of ​​a monster as a man stripped of toxic masculinity, literally sewn up and turned into Lisa's ideal partner. The script hits a complicated emotional line about the trauma of losing one's mother violently, and hurtles toward a story of doomed lovers, of “natural-born supernatural killers,” so to speak. At times, the dialogue is interrupted by what appear to be Cody's personal speeches and 2020s-friendly social messages, and even if they're relatable, the jab is transparent.

Still, there's enough verve in the concept and performances (and in debut director Williams' lush direction) to carry “Lisa Frankenstein.” Williams' approach is refreshingly tactile and practical, full of influences and design elements, such as a title animation made of Victorian silhouettes. His style is neon gothic splendor, combining turn-of-the-century elements with a bold '80s color palette.

Lovingly assembled from many different parts, “Lisa Frankenstein” flips the switch thanks to the overall commitment of the cast and crew, and make no mistake, it is alive.

Katie Walsh is a film critic for the Tribune News Service.