“Lisa Frankenstein,” directed by Zelda Williams (“Kappa Kappa Die”) and written by Diablo Cody (“Jennifer’s Body,” “Juno”), follows Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) after her mother’s death. The death leads her father (Joe Chrest) to find a new bride in Janet (Carla Gugino), who mistreats Lisa but coddles her own daughter, Taffy (Liza Soberano). In her spare time, Lisa tends to the grave of a mysterious man, whom she grows fond of. When lightning strikes the cemetery and resurrects the man (Cole Sprouse), chaos ensues as Lisa must now care for her undead companion.
Diablo Cody might be one of the most remarkable writers of the last 20 years, yet she continues to go underappreciated. Over the years, “Jennifer’s Body,” one of her best works, has been re-evaluated and gained a cult following despite its tumultuous release in 2009. This seems to be the path “Lisa Frankenstein” will also take. Cody’s witty writing and excellent understanding of her characters’ personalities shine, like in all of her works. Never afraid to engage with silly concepts, Cody’s willingness to take the silliness seriously makes the story much stronger than it may sound on paper.
With the rise of media like “Fear Street” and “Stranger Things,” 80s aesthetics continue to make a prominent comeback. Where most attempts tend to fail or feel cliché, “Lisa Frankenstein” excels. The soundtrack is great, making callbacks to popular 80s music for those who knew the pop genre at the time and casual listeners alike. Throughout the runtime, the film features references to other movies, such as a witty one-liner ripped from “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Even the name of the main character, Lisa, calls back to the woman created in “Weird Science.”
The performances from Newton and Sprouse are filled to the brim with charm and will have audiences rooting for the brewing romance. Every obstacle stopping the love between the leads will have audiences clawing at their seats in anxiety, making for a charm not many recent romance movies capture. Tonally, the movie stands out as a feel-good experience that viewers will want to relive over and over again. Sprouse manages to give an excellent physical performance despite having few lines, and Newton uses her skills to bounce off of him in a way that showcases the two actors’ strong chemistry.
“Lisa Frankenstein” will be looked back on in the next five years as an underrated gem that critics unnecessarily hated. Through a combination of Cody’s skilled and humorous writing and both leads’ charming performances, “Lisa Frankenstein” will come to be known as one of the best 80s horror-rom-coms of all time.
