Kinds of Kindness Review – Bold, Courageous Performances
- Details
- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Monday, 17 June 2024 10:15
- Written by Janet Walker
Kinds of Kindness, from Searchlight Pictures, presents three separate vignettes that focus on the dark side of human nature when ultimate control is achieved and weaves together truthful stories that may make tabloid headlines but are rarely examined.
The stories are titled "The Death of RMF," which centers on a man, Robert, played by Jesse Plemons, trying to take control of his life after allowing his employer, Raymond, a man of power, wealth and influence, played by Willem Dafoe, to guide and direct his every waking moment, from what to wear, what to read, when to have sex with his wife, played by Hong Chau, and even to poison her so they can not have children. The ultimate test of his loyalty is when Raymond asks Robert to cause a car accident in which RMF dies.
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We see Robert gearing up and manages to drive at high speed into the RMF's car. He smashes the rear end of the car, missing the driver and fails. Raymond is not satisfied and wants more. At this point Robert wavers, the taking of another life challenges what remains of his moral and ethical compass, until Raymond collapses his life. Slowly, everything Robert believed he was building is stripped away, the gifts, his wife, his career, even his sanity began to fail.
The question, of course, is what would you do if you lost everything and had the chance to get it back? What are the limits?
The second vignette, "RMF is Flying," presents the story of impersonators and playing on the distress of others for financial gain. In this story, Daniel, played by Jesse Plemons, is a cop. His partner Neil is played by Mamoudou Athie. Daniel's wife, Liz, played by Emma "Emily" Stone, is lost at sea. Suddenly he receives word that she has been rescued. When she returns home, something if off. To those with limited contact, she appears to be the same person. For Daniel, the scam begins to unravel when "Liz" is unable to remember key details about their marriage. Her behavior becomes increasingly erratic, she slaps her dad, played by Willem Dafoe, and is willing to mutilate herself as proof of her identity. Daniel takes all the precautions, protects his assets, and pushes "Liz" further into more bizarre behavior.
The question, of course, is what are the limits in the ultimate scam?
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The final vignette is "RMF Eats a Sandwich" and centers on a cult leader, played by Willem Dafoe and his wife, played by Hong Chau. Two of the disciples Emily, played by Emma Stone, and Andrew, played by Jesse Plemons, are searching for a healer, a person who can do more than simply heal, but who can raise the dead. The members of the cult are controlled though sex and led to believe that sex with anyone other than the cult leaders is defilement.
After spousal rape, Emily is considered defiled and is forced out of the cult. Unable to disentangle her mind she remains dedicated to finding the healer and stumbles on twins, Ruth and Rebecca, played by Margaret Qualley. Finding the healer, we see the resurrection of RMF. Providing the ultimate gift, Emily is sure the cult will welcome her back and she will once again be among the enlightened.
The question, of course, is what are the limits on mind control?
These stories tell of supreme control, and what people will do when stripped of the safety net that that control has built; of impersonators who are so versed in deceit, they can con almost everyone, and finally, a story of a spiritual cult leader and his wife, who use sex to control the followers and who decide their fate as they search for a healer. The themes are dark, spousal rape, mind control, murder, lunacy, self-mutilation, extreme abuse.
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The director, Yorgos Lanthimos is able to encourage unrestrained freedom so that the talent abandon themselves to their characters. The performances are courageous. Which usually means nudity, and it does in this review also. While there may be doubles used in some of the scenes, it doesn't appear so.
In all fairness, I felt the scene in "RMF is Flying," of two couples filming themselves engaged in sex reminded me of the scene from the television show Friends when the character Phoebe screams "my eyes, my eyes." It was a bit much for me, and I did close my eyes until that sex scene was over. Throughout the remainder of the other vignettes, the nudity is not over the top or out of place.
The film is three different and separate vignettes, and throughout present taken from the tabloid headlines stories, those that shock but are rarely examined.
Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness is a bold and daring take on filmmaking, with courageous and abandoned performances.
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Country: U.S.
Language: English.
Release Date: June 21, 2024.
Runtime: 165 minutes.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos.
Producer: Ed Guiney, p.g.a., Andrew Lowe, p.g.a., Yorgos Lanthimos, p.g.a., Kasia Malipan, p.g.a.
Writer: Yorgos Lanthimos.
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer.
