“Lisa Frankenstein” (2024) is a romantic horror comedy starring Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse. The film is directed by Zelda Williams, daughter of the late comedian Robin Williams.
Lisa Swallows, the main character, is infatuated with a Victorian-era pianist named Frankenstein. When a lightning storm reanimates him, they eliminate everyone who has ever wronged her, all while a romance blooms underneath.
I find myself drawn to odd-ball romance stories, because it’s different from the typical “good-looking guy meets a good-looking woman” trope we see all the time. Watching Lisa and Frankenstein’s romance form was cute, and the chemistry between them was very well done.
The movie had a morbid sense of humor, which made me laugh out loud multiple times.
Newton as Lisa was a very fun performance. She was weird and an outcast, but she wasn’t so quirky that the audience couldn’t like her. She was also a very expressive character, which made her very entertaining to watch.
Sprouse, playing Frankenstein, portrayed his character through nothing but body language and facial expressions, and he conveyed every emotion perfectly without having to say a word. I liked how he became more expressive the more animated he got after Lisa fixed him throughout the film. His gradually changing performance was part of the visual storytelling I liked.
The supporting cast was cartoonishly unlikable. Every other character tried to screw Lisa over, blame her for everything or hurt her at every chance they got. I get this was probably done to make you route for Lisa and Frankenstein more, but it didn’t land with me.
It didn’t help that the supporting performances were over the top, always winking at the camera. No one else acted like they were trying to take the movie seriously, and it was very distracting.
The technical side of the movie is the biggest point of praise I can give.
The movie takes place in 1989, so the costumes, music and set pieces felt ripped straight out of that period. It’s always nice to see that aesthetic in a modern film.
There were lots of neon lights used, primarily green and red or blue and pink. The lighting and colors were used to represent Lisa’s character; the split between being quiet and innocent against unhinged and unnatural. It also gave this movie this trippy feeling, like viewers are in some psychedelic mind warp.
Despite its flaws, “Lisa Frankenstein” is a quirky, fun romantic comedy with an interesting story, a dark sense of humor and a cheap but colorful presentation, all led by two likable and charming protagonists.
