Three stories, one twisted movie.
Fresh of their success with “Poor Things,” Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, and director Yorgos Lanthimos are back with an anthology film known as “Kinds of Kindness.” I was looking forward to this movie, because of how movies like “Pulp Fiction” and “Amores Perros” have dangerous stories that intertwine with one another, and because of how I’ve always admired the filmmaker for his ability to take risks. After my review of the film, I was left with mixed emotions, but I was able to see it for what it wants to be.
We have three stories, starring Stone, Dafoe, Qualley, Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. They all play different characters in different stories, and after each segment is over, we get a quick cast credit. One of them I think is the most delightful, but I don’t want to spoil it for you. So see this movie, and ask me which one it was later.
Consider the opening titles and music to follow “Pulp Fiction’s” tradition, only instead they’re quick and we have Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” playing. And consider some fast moving car scenes that are filmed with attitude. And consider whether you’re able to see these stories with amazement at what Lanthimos is trying to accomplish or be disillusioned by what goes down. I can’t speak for the audience, but I would say I found some disillusionment and mostly some amazing elements.
The first story involves a young man named Robert (Plemons) whose boss Raymond (Dafoe) has him on a scheduled meal, an infertile wife (Chau), and he wants Robert to repeat a car crash, which he refuses. As a result, his world comes crashing down and tries to fix things. Did I say how? No, I didn’t. This is my favorite of the segments because of how it looks like a seemingly ordinary movie, but deceives us by providing us with some unforgivable choices and forced injuries.
The second story involves a cop named Daniel (Plemons), whose wife Liz (Stone) has gone missing, and comes back a completely different person. He questions if she’s a fraud, while we, the audience, question his sanity. I’m not able to completely understand the very nature of this story, even though some scenes look WTF interesting.
And the third story involves two cult followers Emily (Stone) and Andrew (Plemons) looking for a woman who can bring back the dead. It has something to do with twins, one of whom survives a pool accident, and the cult having a sauna room that determines whether someone can or can’t be decontaminated. I just review movies; I don’t write screenplays, so don’t ask. Parts are a little confusing, but other parts seem like they belong in a Lanthimos movie.
I needed some time to process my emotions on “Kinds of Kindness.” I felt like I was disillusioned by various aspect of the screenplay, but I also felt there are moments worth seeing again. I can still imagine some audience members having negative responses, because, after all, it is a twisted independent movie. But I like to look for originality in movies. Maybe I needed time to open my eyes to where the movie wants to go to.
There are some chuckles, some brilliant performances from the likes of Stone, Dafoe, and Plemons, and beautifully cinematography done by Lanthimos regular Yorgos Mavropsaridis. What can I say? I like this filmmaker and I like what he brings to the cinema. Bring on the comments.