A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife’s demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.
Not as groundbreaking as Luis Bunuel and certainly not as antagonistic as Lars von Trier, Yorgos Lanthimos is the latest in a long line of cinematic provocateurs, filmmakers whose purpose is to not only push our buttons but the boundaries of what we’re prepared to accept as a logical narrative. What’s interesting about Lanthimos’ is his matter-of-fact approach, eschewing overt attention to the behaviors of his subjects. No judgment is leveled against them, and the viewer is left to their own opinions regarding their morality and reasoning. As seen in “The Lobster,” “The Favourite,” and “Poor Things,” there’s a degree of sympathy for those many would label “odd” or “perverse.”
Lanthimos’ latest, “Kinds of Kindness,” is in fact three separate, shortish films that are connected thematically and utilize the same cast of seven actors, each taking on a different role in each. To describe these stories in detail would be to undercut the filmmaker, as discovering his characters’ proclivities is part of the intrigue surrounding this project. Suffice it to say, this is not a movie for all tastes; that being said, fans of the filmmaker’s work know what to expect and likely will not come away disappointed. As to those who wander in blindly…
Power dynamics is one of Lanthimos’ recurring themes, one he touches on repeatedly in the three vignettes. The first of the stories deals with Robert (Jesse Plemons), a junior executive who’s provided with specific directions from his boss (Willem Dafoe) as to how to live his life. What to eat, when to sleep, what to wear, whether to have sex with his wife or not, what books to read, every single aspect of his daily life is laid out. This situation is fraught with peril, though not in the way Robert suspects.
Similarly, the second story concerns Daniel (Plemons, again), a police officer whose wife (Emma Stone) has gone missing, A frantic search is made and miraculously she’s found. However, upon returning he notices that, in addition to her shoes no longer fitting her, she’s doing things she never has before. Convinced this is not his wife, Daniel begins to push her to see just how far she’ll go to convince him otherwise.
The final tale sees Emily and Andrew (Stone and Plemons) on a quest to find a woman they believe has the power to bring the dead back to life. They are doing so at the behest of Omi (Dafoe), a well-to-do cult leader whose power over his followers extends far greater than they realize. However, it becomes apparent when Emily displeases him and she suddenly finds herself adrift, banished from the community she’s sacrificed everything for.
To be sure, the circumstances portrayed in these stories are outlandish, yet the concerns addressed in them are universal. Our need for love and acceptance, the necessity of structure and order, and the despair of uncertainty and ostracization form their thematic core and if there is a commonality among them, it’s that while we tell ourselves autonomy is what we desire, once it is granted, we find ourselves desperate to reconnect with others.
Of course, just what one would do to reclaim social acceptance varies. Lanthimos’ characters go to great lengths to do so, their behavior becoming irrational in their efforts to please the object of their subjection. And while what they do is ridiculous, it serves to underscore how the filmmaker sees others as incapable of true independence. For these characters and people like them, the freedom from responsibility is liberating, the lack of consequence for their actions a relief. While others may see them as subservient, the fact that they do not have to make any decisions or suffer any consequences, for them, is liberating.
Lanthimos’ particular brand of dark humor suffuses the film, an approach that will alienate some, amuse others. The irony that emerges in each of these stories will either be relished or dismissed as needlessly cruel. As such, “Kindness” will provoke much conversation, likely to be deeply felt, perhaps contentious. This is to be expected, when a mirror as sharp and clear as this is put before us.
3 1/2 Stars
