Kinds of Kindness

 

Kinds of Kindness
Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

I've gotten into this debate more than I care to admit, but people often wonder why there's no originality in Hollywood anymore, as it seems everything is either a superhero movie, sequel, or another iteration of an already established intellectual property. I tell them that there is originality in Hollywood, but people don't see them because when push comes to shove, people would rather buy a ticket for a franchise they already know, even if it's going to suck, as opposed to taking a gamble and watching something they know nothing about. It's a shame, because there's some wildly original content out there right now (like "Civil War," "Longlegs," "Cuckoo" and the like) including "Kinds of Kindness," which - to be honest - I still don't fully comprehend. And I love that. I love a movie that makes you think, that steps outside the fold, and that takes bold moves to make it memorable. And it is memorable, as I still am thinking about it deeply days later. It's unique in its storytelling, its themes (if there are any), and the performances, and one of director Yorgos Lanthimos's unique outings to date, which says a lot.

"Kinds of Kindness" is an anthology movie split into three mini-movies, each featuring the same cast in different roles and characters. The first film - "The Death of R.M.F." - centers on employee Robert (Jesse Plemons) who literally has his life controlled by his boss Raymond (Willem Dafoe) who dictates every aspect of his being, and he's been a dutiful employee - but when Raymond wants him to commit a certain act, Robert refuses, spiraling his life out of control.

The second mini-film - "R.M.F. is Flying" - centers on Daniel (Plemons), a police officer who's searching for his missing wife (Emma Stone) who's lost at sea. When she finally returns, he doesn't believe it's really her, setting out to prove that she is indeed an imposter.

The final story - "R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich" - finds Andrew (Plemons) and Emily (Stone) as members of a sex cult run by Omi (Dafoe) and his partner Aka (Hong Chau) who are searching for someone who can literally raise the dead, but when Emily's past comes back to haunt her, it could threaten everything she holds dear in the present.

"Kinds of Kindness" is one of those films that'll have you digging a rabbit hole online to try and understand its cohesive narrative, and Lanthimos is quick to explain his purpose: he has none. There is, to his words, no underlying theme to the movie, but if you think long enough you'll find it. It's not difficult once you stew on it for awhile to understand that the film is about finding purpose, longing for love, and a desire to fit in - and even though it's not one theme but three, you can sense how it weaves itself through all three stories. Considering this is Lanthimos (who also gave us treasures like "The Lobster," "The Killing of a Sacred Deer," "The Favourite" and "Poor Things"), the story is highly cerebral with multiple layers to peel away which is something I thrive on.

The movie is done in the style known as a "triptych fable" - which is a work of art that is divided into three sections (or panels) that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. Unlike other anthology films, this one has no cohesive tie-in to the others (with the exception of the mysterious R.M.F.) although it does feel like it occurs within the same universe. It's fun to try to unravel it all, and fortunately the almost three-hour runtime doesn't feel as long since it's three films in one.

The performances are amazing, as Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley tackle their different roles with powerful aplomb, diving headfirst into their unique characters from one film to another with effortless ease. These characters aren't exactly normal, yet they feel entirely so, and it's fascinating to see their development from one film to another.

The film starts with Jesse Plemons, who is featured dominantly in the first film, halfway in the second, and secondary in the third, whereas Emma Stone is the opposite - secondary in the first, halfway in the second, and dominantly in the third. Both actors have unique roles to fill (Plemons goes from a man who'll do almost anything to please his boss, to a paranoid husband and finally a doting cult member; Stone goes from a mysterious love interest to a wife who might not be who she says she is, to the most devout cult member there is), and they more than own their respective roles, shining bright in each one. Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley equally give it their all in their unique roles as well, especially Dafoe, who's no stranger to quirky performances.

The song "Sweet Dreams" makes a dominant appearance in the film, and offers a hint as to the theme that the movie may or may not be telling, and Robbie Ryan's sweeping cinematography is spellbinding as it makes the outrageous events happening in the film seem almost commonplace, yet visually stunning in the same measure. Lanthimos proves once again that he can take any idea that comes into his mind and create something truly memorable, thought-provoking, and divisive.

The Score: A+