KINDS OF KINDNESS

As far as movie anthologies go, Kinds of Kindness falls squarely in the weird category, and while there are a few intriguing ideas, they are never fully developed thematically or emotionally.

Playing it safe has never been part of the Yorgos Lanthimos playbook, but after two award-winning features that valiantly bridged the gap between eccentricity and popular appeal, the director reunites with his Dogtooth co-writer Efthimis Filippou to produce as impenetrable a movie as he has ever made.

Kinds of Kindness consists of three separate tales, all about 50 minutes long, that are only connected by the same actors playing different parts. In the first story a man goes to great lengths to indulge in his boss’ every whim, the second concerns a person who believes his wife has been switched for someone else, while in the third a cult member goes on a search for a messiah who can heal the dead.

Defining which of the three has the biggest impact will depend on your personal preferences, but for me the first tale stood out most, particularly because of an excellent Jesse Plemons performance, but also because it’s the only story that finds a decent balance between the weird and the intriguing. Tale two and three stumble on that front, because they either tread ground that has been covered many times before (the theme of the doppelgänger) or they do not flesh out the overarching theme enough, as is the third act’s main problem.

On top of that, anthologies seldom work when there isn’t some sort of connecting tissue, and in Kinds of Kindness there is none apparent, unless you count the unease that oozes throughout. I wouldn’t be able to tell you the point the movie is trying to make, and from what I have gathered from interviews with Lanthimos on the subject, neither can he.

So while the movie is at times visually interesting, the cast shines in numerous scenes and Jerskin Fendrix’ eclectic score is worth a listen, Kinds of Kindness – notwithstanding the elaborate quirks and controversies – is just kind of boring.

release: 2024

director: Yorgos Lanthimos

starring: Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley