“Kinds of Kindness” is a tough sell. True, there is a lot of impressive (and well-known) talent in front of and behind the camera. But it’s also got some key elements that make it difficult to truly proselytize to people. Firstly, it’s two hours and forty-five minutes long, which is a large time investment for most audiences. And it’s not exactly like those nearly three hours fly by. The other, and much bigger, impediment to getting people to see the new creation from director Yorgos Lanthimos is that it is an incredibly dark film. Some of the subject matter that’s covered includes forced abortion, murder, spousal abuse, cannibalism, cults, rape, self-mutilation, animal cruelty, suicide, and other not so fun topics. And yet, “Kinds of Kindness” is utterly hilarious. While these elements are rarely the “joke” in and of themselves—most of them are treated like the serious matters that they are—they are part of Lanthimos’ searing look at relationships, and how love and control tend to intertwine in ways that are not always pleasant…at least from the outside. A brilliant movie with terrific performances, a great script (co-written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou), expert costumes, and more, “Kinds of Kindness” is most certainly not for everyone. But if you happen to be attuned to its sick wavelength, you will find quite a lot to enjoy.
The film is made up of three separate vignettes, all starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and Joe Alwyn in different roles in each segment. The first concerns a man whose life is wholly controlled by his boss/lover, and what happens when he dares speak out. The second is about the fallout when a long-lost wife returns, but the husband suspects there’s something wrong with her. And the third entry follows a woman who is seeking out a prophesied individual for her water-obsessed cult, while missing her husband and daughter. All the sections take massive turns at various points that are jarring and horrific as they explore these various relationships in a world that is not that dissimilar from our own.
“Kinds of Kindness” has many whiplash moments between something terrible happening and then a hilarious moment follows soon after. It’s a fairly common experience in the film to wonder if you’re supposed to be laughing at certain parts, or, perhaps more precisely, if you’re allowed to find it so damn funny. The deadpan delivery of awkward dialogue, the bizarre reactions to terrible events, just the utter absurdity of these characters in these situations leads to comedic gold that feels wrong. To be fair, this isn’t as dark as, say, 1998’s “Happiness” or some other fare; but it is an extremely problematic universe that is littered with awful behavior—but taken in stride to hysterical lengths.
All the actors turn in great performances, made even more impressive by the fact that they play three different roles throughout “Kinds of Kindness.” They change up characters so seamlessly that it’s a massive testament to their talent when you can easily distinguish one version from the next. Though it should be noted that, while it is engrossing and highly entertaining, each segment feels like it could be cut down a bit. Part of Lanthimos’ approach is to linger in spaces, usually to a droll effect, but it doesn’t always feel necessary in these vignettes and there are stretches where the audience will really feel that run time. It’s not often, but it is enough to detract from just how effective these tales of ordinary madness could be.
“Kinds of Kindness” kicks off with “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics, setting the stage for stories about people wanting to abuse, to control, to be abused, and to be controlled—all done up in the guise of a fun pop song. It’s a smart juxtaposition between love and dread that Lanthimos and company carry through the rest of the film. The subject matter can certainly be a bit grim, but the movie never feels like it’s trying too hard or is some edgelord poser that just wants to be provocative for the sake of being brash. Instead, these horrible moments are interwoven with toxically absurd comedy beats to produce a rich tapestry depicting lives of quiet desperation. It’s reminiscent of the more fantastical short stories of Bukowski or Gogol, where the artists create a harsh world full of ugliness but revel in it to find the oddly humorous and painfully human. “Kinds of Kindness” is not a crowd pleaser meant for mass consumption, and it’s not something that can be casually approached. But those willing to engage with it will find a darkly hilarious and genuinely brilliant film.
4.5 / 5 Stars
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, Joe Alwyn
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
