Set in the late 1980s, written by Diablo Cody, directed by Robin Williams's daughter, Zelda Williams, and starring Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse and a wicked Carla Gugino, Lisa Frankenstein is a delightful, frothy confection with a dark heart.
After the wonderful animated opening credits fill you in on some backstory, we are introduced to Lisa (Newton). She's a new student, in a new school, with a new evil stepmother (Gugino) and supportive stepsister, after her mother was brutally axe-murdered. She's withdrawn (despite the cheerful and earnest attempts of stepsister Taffy to include Lisa in her social circle), preferring to spend her days in an abandoned Victorian era graveyard. Lisa especially likes the stone bust of a young man's monument, wishing she could join him.
She means in death - but when a freak electrical storm strikes the gravestone, the young man (Sprouse) arises from his grave and goes to find Lisa. After her initial shock wears off, she cleans him up; later, he returns the favor, revamping her wardrobe towards a more goth vibe. A likely friendship arises, as Lisa realizes she needs someone to talk to about her mother. And then they go on a bit of a murder spree, to replace the monster's missing ear, hand ... and other body parts.
There's shades of/homages to She's All That and Edward Scissorhands and even Heathers here, with the quips and the makeovers and the awkwardness and the murders. It's quite cute and funny - Cole Sprouse is very funny as the monster - with occasional bloody bits (PG-13 rating). I enjoyed it quite a lot as a solid return to pro-girl horror-comedy for Diablo Cody (long live Jennifer's Body!)
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