delgadosandovals@lopers.unk.edu
Yorgos Lanthimos, the visionary director known for his unsettling and provocative films such as “The Lobster” and “Poor Things,” ventures into new territory with his 2024 release, “Kinds of Kindness.”
Departing from the bleak and bizarre dystopias that have marked his career, Lanthimos presents a surprisingly tender, introspective and somewhat strange exploration of human relationships and moral ambiguity. “Kinds of Kindness” is a bold yet nuanced examination of how kindness can manifest in diverse and often contradictory ways. It challenges the audience to reconsider their perceptions of empathy and altruism.
The film unfolds in a world that, while not overtly dystopian, is characterized by its own brand of social estrangement, isolation and emotional disconnection. Set in a seemingly ordinary town, Lanthimos crafts a narrative that is both intimately personal and broadly reflective of societal dynamics. At its core, “Kinds of Kindness” is a meditation on the complexity of human motivations and the often unspoken consequences of seemingly altruistic actions. Lanthimos employs his signature style of detached yet deeply insightful storytelling to peel back layers of his characters’ psyches. It reveals the multifaceted nature of acts of manipulation and control disguised as kindness.
The film is divided into three clear segments as a bizarre compilation. Threading through these is a fascination with the desire to dominate, be dominated or quite possibly both. In “Kinds of Kindness,” Yorgos Lanthimos weaves a series of interconnected narratives that explore themes of control, identity and the supernatural. The film features several human examples regarding dominance and submission. There is an office worker who defies the oppressive control of his domineering boss, a police officer who becomes unnerved when his wife returns home and he suspects she’s been replaced by a look-alike, and two cult members on a quest for a young woman rumored to have the power to resurrect the dead. Lanthimos employs repertory casting to heighten the film’s eerie atmosphere. By having the same actors play multiple roles, he intensifies the unsettling effect of seeing familiar faces repeatedly in different, often troubling situations. This technique underscores the film’s theme of the universe’s cyclical and disturbing patterns.
The film’s unsettling quality is further amplified by the recurring use of specific tropes, images and motifs. There are repeated references to overeating and undereating, with certain foods like steak and chocolate appearing repeatedly. For example, Dafoe’s domineering executive, Raymond, instructs Plemons’s discontented employee, Robert, on what to eat, saying, “Because there’s nothing more ridiculous than skinniness on a man.”
The film also features a cycle of hospitals, ambulances and police, representing oppressive authority and submission. Women experience pregnancies and miscarriages, while individuals attempt to demonstrate love through submission to abuse and coercion. Additionally, unsettling dreams recur and manifest in real life, further blurring the line between dream and reality. The overall effect of “Kinds of Kindness” is both elegant and strikingly stylish, though it might lack a corresponding depth of substance. The film feels more weighty and drawn-out than anticipated as if it is striving for a profound resolution that may not fully materialize. However, the themes of absence and loss might be central to its message.
One interpretation of “Kinds of Kindness” is that it critiques a particular facet of “wellness culture.” Without giving too much away, in the first story, Plemons’s character loses his grip on reality and his own identity when he’s no longer given detailed, time-stamped instructions for every aspect of his life, including his diet and intimate activities. A similar breakdown occurs in the third story, where Stone’s character is rejected by her purity-obsessed cult for failing to meet their strict standards, illustrating how deviation from rigid expectations can lead to chaos.
