Looking for a twisted summer alternative to blockbusters and family movies? Allow us to point you in the direction of Kinds of Kindness. This morbid assembly of intertwining stories is set to push all of your anxiety buttons, in a good way, of course, with an all-star cast and celebrated director acting as our guide.
Scroll down to discover everything you need to know.
What is the story of Kinds of Kindness?
Kinds of Kindness is a triptych of loosely connected stories set in and around New Orleans, all of which touch on themes of isolation, sexuality and identity.
The first segment, The Death of R.M.F, follows a man who seeks to take charge of his own destiny after breaking away from his powerful boss. The second, R.M.F. is Flying, depicts a man plagued by suspicions that his spouse, who has recently returned after being reported missing, is an imposter. The final segment, R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich, revolves around a cultist's task to find a specific person with the ability to resurrect the dead.
Who stars in Kinds of Kindness?
Kinds of Kindness stars Emma Stone, fresh from her Oscar-winning collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos on Poor Things. In Kinds of Kindness Stone plays three separate roles, as do all of her fellow actors, which promises to stretch her dramatic range even more than her mercurial and beguiling turn as Bella Baxter in Poor Things.
Poor Things stars Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley also feature in Kinds of Kindness. Dafoe was Oscar-nominated for his performance in the former. Joe Alwyn, who starred in Lanthimos' The Favourite, makes an appearance, as do Lanthimos newcomers Jesse Plemons (Civil War), Mamoudou Athie (Elemental), Hunter Schafer (The Hunger Games) and Hong Chau (The Menu).
Who directs Kinds of Kindness?
As mentioned, Kinds of Kindness is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. The idiosyncratic Greek director has built his career off the back of dyspeptic and piercing black comedies that more often than not veer into horror and upend social convention. His most recent film, Poor Things, was a loose adaptation of Alasdair Gray's novel and was unanimously acclaimed for its sumptuous design, upfront sexuality and empowering story about a young woman's desire for psychological and physical liberation.
Lanthimos' previous films include the Queen Anne drama The Favourite, which won an Oscar for Olivia Colman, and the macabre social satire The Lobster. Kinds of Kindness is pitched as a throwback to Lanthimos' earlier films that earmarked him as part of the Greek 'weird wave' movement. In its dark and confrontational tone, Kinds of Kindness perhaps bears the closest comparison to the director's lacerating and uncomfortable social study Dogtooth, which explored one father's relentless desire to keep his daughters shielded from the outside world.
Are Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos making another film together?
Yes, Emma Stone, Yorgos Lanthimos and Jesse Plemons are set to reunite on the upcoming film Bugonia. This is an English-language remake of the cult 2003 South Korean film Save the Great Planet whose plot almost defies comprehension. The film follows a conspiracy-obsessed man who becomes convinced that a number of his homeland's top brass are secretly reptilian alien invaders bent on Earth's destruction, going so far as to abduct several of them in an effort to extract their nefarious plans.
What are the reviews saying about Kinds of Kindness?
Kinds of Kindness is getting positive reviews from the Cannes Film Festival and currently stands at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes from 42 reviews.
However, one shouldn't go expecting Poor Things: whereas that movie managed to break out with a global audience via its twisted yet ultimately heartfelt and compassionate story, Kinds of Kindness is a far more emotionally brutal and brittle affair. In other words, Lanthimos die-hards and adventurous viewers are likely to get more out of it.
Variety reviewer Pete Debruge observes the film will "keep you squirming", adding: "The less you know, the more effective Kinds of Kindness is likely to be — though you’ll no doubt want to discuss or deconstruct the film after the fact. It’s a quizzical concoction bound to baffle and delight in equal measure, structured so it feels like binge-watching three episodes of a nihilist Twilight Zone knock-off when an interwoven ensemble approach (à la Magnolia) might have better supported connection-making between chapters. In any case, Lanthimos trades in discomfort, trusting his audience enough to take his brand of provocation as they please."
When is Kinds of Kindness released?
Kinds of Kindness is released on June 28th.
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