Tina Kakadelis
It seems as though Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has no time for sleep when he could be making movies instead. Last year, he dazzled with Poor Things and now, mere months after scooping up some awards at the Oscars, Lanthimos has another film up his sleeve. Kinds of Kindness premiered earlier this month at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews. Those of use who did not get to spend two weeks watching movies in the French Riviera are finally given a look at what Lanthimos has in store for us this time.
The oh-so-recognizable synth of Eurythmics’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” opens the trailer as Emma Stone’s voiceover declares, “This is it.” What follows is a series of strange glimpses of Kinds of Kindness. The film has been described as a “triptych fable” where the majority of actors play different roles in the three stories. According to Lanthimos, the stories stand on their own but are loosely connected. The trailer doesn’t give us much to go on, but that’s not necessary uncommon when it comes to Lanthimos’ work. Anyone who has seen a film of his knows that it’s nearly impossible to imagine the worlds he and frequent collaborater Efthimis Filippou.
Speaking of frequent collaborators, Kinds of Kindness is chockful of actors who have previously starred in one (or more) of Lanthimos’ films. Stone was most recently seen in Poor Things and previously starred in Lanthimos’ The Favourite where she shared the screen with Joe Alwyn who returns in Kinds of Kindness. Also returning from Poor Things are Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley. Making their first appearance in a Lanthimos film are Jesse Plemmons (who won the Best Actor award at Cannes for this role), Hong Chao, Hunter Schafer, and Mamoudou Athie.
For those who don’t wish to be spoiled beyond what little information is given in the trailer, turn back now. There isn’t much on the internet to truly spoil Kinds of Kindness, but the names of each of the fables have been released along with a brief description of each plot. “The Death of R.M.F” is about a man who quits working for his powerful boss and takes control of his own life. “R.M.F. is Flying” is about a husband who is concerned that his no-longer-missing wife is actually an imposter. Lastly, “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich” follows a cult member’s quest to find a person who is able to resurrect the dead. Knowing those plot points allows you to watch the trailer and figure out which scenes likely belong to which fable, but how they all tie together remains a great mystery.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and co-written with Efthimis Filippou, and starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie and Hunter Schafer, Kinds of Kindness will be in theaters on June 21.
