Lisa Frankenstein is a neon-drenched goth fantasy come true. The first horror film from Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno, Tully) since 2009’s Jennifer’s Body? That pitch alone should get anyone excited. Jennifer’s Body, which was deemed both a critical and financial failure upon its release, has received waves of reclamation in recent years from moviegoers who have praised its feminist undertones and themes of identity. It’s the rare movie you can actually call a modern “cult classic” given its history. Now, Cody makes her return to the genre with a horror rom-com, a mash-up that we barely get to see in theaters given how niche the target audience can be. Nonetheless, Lisa Frankenstein sticks to its guns, delivering a zany romantic tale that feels tailor-made for the freaks and outsiders.
Zelda Williams, in her feature directorial debut, brings Lisa Frankenstein to life with charming sincerity and a true goth attitude. Not “goth” in the way that many people think is just wearing all black and reading old literature, but goth in the way that captures a sense of otherness and alienation. Cody’s script, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, is already unique on its own, however, it’s through Williams’ imaginative visuals and clear understanding of teenage angst that Lisa Frankenstein reaches its full potential. Set in 1989, we follow Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), a misunderstood teenage goth girl who just moved to Brookview High in her senior year following the tragic murder of her mother. Her passive father Dale (Joe Chrest) was quick to move on and remarry though, giving Lisa a shockingly evil stepmother, Janet (Carla Gugino), and a surprisingly loving yet ditzy stepsister, Taffy (Liza Soberano).
There are few people Lisa finds solace in. The boy she’s crushing on, Michael Trent (Henry Eikenberry), is giving her mixed signals and despite Taffy being the only family Lisa can rely on, she often comes off as too condescending. The one place where Lisa does find peace is the local cemetery, where she’s grown fond of the grave of a Victorian-era bachelor who seemingly died young. She brings his headstone charms and dreams of them being together far away from everyone else – the words of an angsty goth who’s about to get a lot more than what she wished for. After a bolt of mysterious green lightning strikes this grave during a storm, the corpse (Cole Sprouse) crawls out and comes knocking at Lisa’s door asking for her hand. Lisa decides to keep her zombie friend in secrecy, but their friendship soon escalates into something much more complicated.
Lisa Frankenstein is cute and charming at first, wearing the sleeves of a recognizable coming-of-age story. Even when Cole Sprouse walks into the picture as “The Creature” – only communicating through grunts and groans with no actual dialogue – it’s hard not to be enamored by the movie’s quirkiness. Lisa tries to introduce her musical tastes to her new monster pal, making jokes about The Cure and even letting him wear one of her Violent Femmes shirts. The buddy zombie antics, like him pranking Lisa’s stepmother by vomiting a worm in her food, all make for good laughs. But the film quickly takes a drastic turn that departs from that light-hearted feel. Lisa discovers that she can turn this undead bachelor into the man of her dreams by reanimating him in her stepsister’s overpowered tanning bed. All that they need is more body parts, putting them on a dark path.
Director Zelda Williams fully commits to the black comedy and earns the campiness of Diablo Cody’s script. As the plot continues to escalate, it becomes clear that there’s only one way Lisa’s twisted romance can be fulfilled. And by the film’s end, you’ll appreciate it all the more for going as far as it does. Lisa Frankenstein may prove to be too weird or raunchy for some viewers, but that’s also the beauty of it. Williams and Cody don’t compromise their ideas for the sake of mainstream accessibility, thus creating something that may speak to a smaller audience but will definitely be celebrated by them. In this way, it draws interesting comparisons to Jennifer’s Body. Both movies flaunt their core femininity, though Lisa Frankenstein expresses this more through adult humor, some jokes of which make you realize how we don’t get to hear unfiltered female characters like this often.
Kathryn Newton (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) as Lisa Swallows channels the film’s rage and absurdity in her most hilarious performance to date. Her confidence and charisma as a rising scream queen are on full display, proving that 2020’s Freaky was just the beginning. However, more than anything else, she elevates her role past the stereotypes of being a misunderstood teen. Newton captures a genuine relatability that comes with being different, and that maybe being goth isn’t just a phase but a form of expression. Meanwhile, Cole Sprouse (Riverdale) as Lisa’s grunting undead companion is the real MVP. Despite having layers of heavy makeup on with no dialogue, Sprouse creates an endearing personality for the reanimated corpse. His silent reactions and mannerisms are to die for (pun intended). Filipino-American actress Liza Soberano also makes her Hollywood debut here as Taffy, landing some of the film’s darkest jokes right on target.
Huge credit must be given to the film’s production design. Lisa Frankenstein balances the white picket fences and candy-colored houses of American suburbia with Gothic elements, similar to Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. At the same time, cinematographer Paula Huidobro (CODA) highlights scenes with neon lighting and shadows to create an ’80s fantasy aesthetic. While the setting does buy into ‘80s nostalgia, like Lisa having a Bauhaus poster in her room among other things, other surprises further immerse the audience. Set pieces like shower radios and antique shoe phones naturally build out the film’s quirkiness. On top of that, Isabella Summers (of Florence and the Machine) provides a lively original score to match the collection of needle drops, most of which are underrated choices for an ’80s playlist. Seriously, Lisa Frankenstein‘s awesome soundtrack is just the sweet cherry on top.
Just like Jennifer’s Body, you can already tell how many people are not going to “get” Lisa Frankenstein. Its wild swings obviously won’t be for everyone, but there’s a difference between not seeing eye to eye with a movie and judging it for something it’s not trying to be. Lisa Frankenstein is a colorful new entry in the “Good For Her” canon of horror films, no less thanks to Kathryn Newton’s electrifying performance. It’s got the marks of an inspired director and a script that refuses to conform. Whatever small hiccups that are present can easily be forgiven because of this. If it doesn’t get the love it deserves today, then it’s bound to be called a cult classic later down the line. It seems like people online always cry out, “Why doesn’t Hollywood ever make something like this or that?” Well, they did in this instance and it rocks.
