Film review: ‘KINDS OF KINDNESS’, by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Like David Lynch in the 80’s and 90’s, Greek film director Yorgos Lanthimos is bringing dark, surreal cinema to a mainstream audience. Some, however, feel his films are more about superficial weirdness and shock value than substance. Those calls might become a little louder with his latest piece of misanthropic mayhem the drama/ horror/ comedy triptych, Kinds of Kindness. While not as visually bizarre as his hugely successful Poor Things, this film is even more of a head scratcher that will delight some but cause a few others to exit the cinema prematurely as happened at the film preview.

Kinds of Kindness comprises three chapters, all of which feature a core cast of Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley.  While there are some similar threads running through the chapters, the actors play a different person in each.

In the first vignette, titled ‘the death of R.M.F.’, Jesse Plemons plays nerdy, sweaty, mid-level executive Robert Fletcher whose life is weirdly organised down to the final detail by his boss and apparent lover Raymond (Willem Dafoe). When Robert refuses to perform a very odd task for Raymond he’s ostracised and sees his life descend into chaos, leading him to a desperate act.  In the second instalment titled ‘R.M.F. is flying’ Plemons plays Daniel, an unhinged cop whose wife Liz (Emma Stone) believed lost at sea, mysteriously returns. Convinced she’s an imposter, the increasingly crazed Daniel subjects her to a bizarre test of her credibility. In the final chapter titled ‘R.M.F. eats a sandwich’, Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons play Emily and Andrew, who are members of a weird sex cult run by the creepy-looking Omi (Willem Dafoe) and wife Aka (Hong Chau).  While on a quest to find a woman who can apparently revive the dead, the fidgety Emily revisits her unsettling relationship with her estranged husband (Joe Alwyn).

Throughout the film’s three chapters, many will be asking ‘what the hell is going on here?’.  Just when a narrative through-line seems to appear, Lanthimos upends the story taking us in a disturbing, unexpected or seemingly unnecessary direction.  Those who demand clear linear narratives and unambiguous resolutions in their films will be shaking their fists at the screen.  Lanthimos appears to be exploring a few themes such as the destructiveness of relationships and controlling personalities but any message comes to us seemingly distorted by fun house mirrors.

If they’re not put off by the film’s oddball storyline, some may have difficulty with Lanthimos’ typically confronting use of body horror as this film delivers a few gruesome scenes.  This is not overall a grim film, though, as it’s suffused with a satirical tone and the characters’ weird antics are at times pretty funny.

It helps that the film features some terrific performances.  Jesse Plemons, who won best actor at Cannes, is the standout bringing starkly different but convincing qualities to each of his three characters: the likeably dorky Robert, with his tucked-in purple skivvy, the menacing brooding cop Daniel and the thoughtful Andrew.  Emma Stone, who has become something of a muse for Lanthimos, is mostly excellent bringing both quirky humour and intensity to her various incarnations in this film.  Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley, though, don’t have quite enough opportunity to assert themselves on this film.

As well as general oddness, Lanthimos films have stood out for their striking visual style particularly the bizarro steam punk diorama world of Poor Things.  Kinds of Kindness, however, is much more prosaic looking, taking place in the sunlit American suburbs.  Still, Lanthimos and Poor Things cinematographer Robbie Ryan manage to give this environment at least a touch of mystery and threat.

Those not enamoured of Lanthimos quirky, off-kilter sensibility will probably find this film’s 164 minutes a bit of a chore but devotees will no doubt be delighted to once again step through the looking glass into his distinctly strange cinematic world.

Nick’s rating: ***

Genre: Drama/ Horror/Comedy.

Classification: MA15+.

Director(s): Yorgos Lanthimos.

Release date: 11th July 2024.

Running time: 164 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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