by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Wait… is it time for another Yorgos Lanthimos film already? It has been only about six months since Poor Things made such an impact. That was the most “accessible” of Lanthimos’ films, despite still being set in a strange world full of endless horniness. Though, to be fair… that is just what Lanthimos does. But we find his latest effort, Kinds of Kindness, bringing us back to the off-the-wall absurdity of his earlier films filled with darkness, awkwardness, and horniness. This anthology clocks in at almost three hours and features three tales, each starring the same actors. There are also deeply thematic elements that link them together, and each of their tones captures Lanthimos’ unique voice, which is what many of us watch his movies for.
So where does this unique voice shine through in Kinds of Kindness? No matter which one of the three tales you are watching, there are a few thematic threads, and especially tonal motifs, that are present. First off, Lanthimos has a dark and biting sense of humor that is ever present in Kinds of Kindness. You might shock yourself a bit from what you laugh at while watching this film. There is plenty of nudity, seduction, and openly comfortable kissing of all types of people. But there is also rape, drugged people, self-mutilation, suicide, orgies, and bits of cannibalism all throughout as well. Yeah… don’t watch this with your mother. Lanthimos knows the awkwardness and prudishness of humanity, and how uncomfortable we can be with sexual topics and other taboo things. He loves to rub humanity’s face in that, and Kinds of Kindness sure does in the most uncomfortably funny ways possible. But at the core of all three stories, there are a pair of themes that are constantly at the forefront of Lanthimos’ storytelling: desire and control. The characters bend to uncomfortable places in search of one of these, and watching them navigate our complex world in search of these totems is thoroughly entertaining.
How do the stories engage the audience? The first and third stories feel considerably more thought out and refined in their themes and narratives. Don’t get it wrong, all three stories are endlessly entertaining and darkly funny, but that second one just does not have the same clarity. There are certainly other elements of the story that will grab the attention of the audience, like its unnerving body horror, outrageous allusions to other realities, and paranoia. Each story offers outlandish elements and a dark sense of humor, but also twisted narratives that explore the concrete and relatable themes. We have a man obsessed with the approval and guidance of his uncomfortably controlling boss, until he asks him to go a step too far. We have a wife (who might not be the real wife) who returns home and must contend with the suspicions and outrageous requests of a paranoid husband testing her authenticity. Finally, we have a woman involved in a sex cult who chases her desires, despite the actions of those around her trying to stop her pursuits. Each of the three stories are obviously absurd from the start, but they explore poignant themes in the most messed up and darkly entertaining ways.
Do the actors rise to the occasion with this challenging assignment? Each actor plays a different character (except for one?) in the three stories. There are a few — like Mamoudou Athie and Joe Alwyn — who get lesser roles in various stories, but still deliver. Jesse Plemons is probably the most consistent in the forefront of each of these stories. The physical changes he goes through are interesting (the purple turtleneck and mustache combo is quite something), but the emotional and characterizations are various and show off the impressive range. Submissive to assertive and reserved to explosive. He does it all. Emma Stone gets the thankless job in the second story of being a potential fraud, as she puts herself through the wringer at the behest of her “husband.” The final story is hers for sure, and she emits a level of desperation that is admirable yet uncomfortable. Willem Dafoe is quite consistent as three different self-assured and controlling figures. He just gets to let his power all hang out, and he is game for it as always. Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley have less focus, but their consistent commitment to whatever Lanthimos throws at them is always engrossing.
Does Lanthimos deliver another cinematic achievement with his latest dark comedy? The runtime is his longest, but it does allow the three different narratives the time they need to breathe. The pacing and atmosphere are odd and alluring in that unique Lanthimos way. There are impact needle drops that will get the energy going to the point where you might be dancing like Stone (you know the dance for sure). Kinds of Kindness is another wild and weird cinematic achievement for Lanthimos, who just might be one of the clearest and craziest unique voices in cinema today.
Rating: Loved It
Kinds of Kindness is currently playing in theaters
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