Yorgos Lanthimos has quickly arisen as one of the most important directors in recent memory, known for his surreal settings that place his characters in Kafkaesque scenarios. Prior to Kinds of Kindness, he saw critical success with The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, both of which I had watched in high school and raved to friends about for the black comedy aspects that intertwine two entirely different stories but shared an element that tied them together: they were weird. Then Poor Things came out, and that seemed like a page had turned for Lanthimos. He used Emma Stone again as a leading character after she starred in The Favourite (his previous movie), but Poor Things was both more grandiose and more accessible, making it a hit with critics and scooped up four Oscars.
Then came Kinds of Kindness, fresh on the heels of Poor Things, and it is at once his most ambitious and disappointing film for me. It is a three-part anthology where each piece is different from the rest, but all have recurring themes about the lengths people will go to for the people they care about; hence the name, Kinds of Kindness. Each part also shares a minor character, R.M.F., who happens to be in the title of every short film. The initials of R.M.F are never explained, nor is any of the pretext for any piece of the anthology.
For the entirety of the trilogy, the cast continues with some of the same ensemble that came together for Poor Things, with Emma Stone being a prominent character once again, and supported by fellow Poor Things cast members Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley. He also brings in new faces such as Jesse Plemons, Mamoudou Athie, Joe Alwyn and Hong Chau, who also recur in each part. With a cast this star-studded, it is difficult to fail in whatever avenue this film went. In particular, Plemons is the star, and he is fantastic here, as he plays his desperation and longing like it is second-nature.
“The Death of R.M.F.” is the first part, following Plemons as the lead character Robert, whose entire life is about being controlled by his boss Raymond (Dafoe), but once he loses that connection he will do anything to get it back. The second piece, “R.M.F. is Flying,” involves Plemons as a detective named Daniel and Emma Stone as his wife Liz; Liz starts lost on a trip gone awry, but after she is finally rescued, Daniel has doubts about if his wife is the same person. The third piece, “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” is the piece based the least in reality, as it follows Stone and Plemons again on the hunt to find a girl who can bring back people from the dead. All of this is, of course, for the leader of their sex cult, Omi, who is played by a cruel yet charming Dafoe.
I like to go into new movies without much knowledge of the plot or concept so I can keep an open mind and was very thrown for a loop when less than an hour passed and the credits rolled on The Death of R.M.F, although it did seem like there was a profound conclusion that was reached. I would have been happier if one of these stories was drawn deeper upon for an extra 45 minutes to make it a complete film.
That is part of the magic of an anthology film, as there is no time for context in any of these zany stories, but ultimately the viewer can be left with more questions than answers. After I left the theater, I went to google several pieces of the movie that did not click for me, but there is no real answer to many. It is a nod-back to some of his earlier works, as it is very absurdist, and the humor is always evident. The characters talk in a very matter-of-fact manner, which may turn off some viewers, but has some hilarious moments in typical Lanthimos fashion, as it can often come when least expected.
I will note that this film, like his previous works, contains lots of explicit moments and themes, so it might not be the best movie to watch with the family this summer. I did enjoy this movie altogether, but a 2-hour 45-minute runtime can make for a polarizing experience, triptych or not. However, if you are a fan of the strange and creepy atmosphere this will bring, this is a movie I recommend for its unique plot and style.
Raphael Mazhandu is a member of the class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. They can be reached at [email protected].