New at the movies - Emma Stone and Lanthimos reunited: "Kinds of Kindness"
For his new film, Giorgos Lanthimos has once again collaborated with Hollywood-star Emma Stone. However, in "Kinds of Kindness," things are quite different than in his successful film "Poor Things" from 2023. The audience can expect an experimental film with a lot to ponder. In three episodes, the themes of self-sacrifice and obsession are explored – at the workplace, in marriage, or in religion.
The bizarre film reminds one of Lanthimos' early work, which earned him the label "Greek Weird Wave" from film industry people. This referred to a series of new Greek filmmakers who made particularly strange films.
Film festival award for Plemons as Best Actor in Cannes
Lanthimos' films eventually became less "weird," won Oscars, and attracted stars. The cast for "Kinds of Kindness" includes Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, and Jesse Plemons. The American actor received the award for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his role.
Speaking to "Vanity Fair" magazine about the shoot, Plemons said, "When you start rehearsing, you feel: 'Wow, I have no idea what I'm doing here'." This feeling can also creep up on the viewer. The film is also quite explicit. It shows violent and sexual scenes, such as a rape scene.
In three distinct parables, people are portrayed who are willing to do anything for a particular institution. In the first part, Plemons plays a man named Robert, who is essentially a slave to his boss (Dafoe). His boss determines every aspect of his life, including whom and when he should have sex. One day, his boss demands something so drastic from Robert that he doubts if he can go through with it.
A film about the absurdity of social norms
In the second part, Plemons plays the policeman Daniel. His wife Liz (Stone) has gone missing during a research trip. When she returns, Daniel doesn't believe her. Liz then goes to extremes to prove her love to Daniel. Amputated limbs are part of it.
In the third part, Stone and Plemons embody the sect members Emily and Andrew, who, in the name of their guru Omi (Dafoe), search for a healer who can bring the dead back to life.
As with Lanthimos, it's about the absurdity of social norms. The director makes his audience "see societal conventions that we have learned to accept in a different context," as Dafoe put it. "Sometimes we accept certain conventions because they are imposed on us by society." Lanthimos creates distance from such internalized social rules through satirical and grotesque storytelling – some find it enchanting, while others find it irritating.
The movie, titled "Kinds of Kindness," has a theatrical release scheduled for July 4, marking its entrance into mainstream Hollywood cinemas. The film's unique narrative and experimental style are reminiscent of the Greek filmmaking wave, a movement associated with Germany's Berlin Film Festival.
Willem Dafoe, a renowned Hollywood Star, is part of the star-studded cast, adding to the film's potential for a wide Oscar-worthy audience. Emma Stone, another Hollywood celebration favorite, also features in the movie, increasing anticipation for potential Oscar nominations.
Despite its explicit and controversial themes, the film has already garnered recognition, with Jesse Plemons winning the Best Actor award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
The experimental and thought-provoking nature of the film may not be for everyone, as it delves into the absurdity of social norms and human behaviors, such as self-sacrifice, obsession, and their implications in various institutions, including marriage and religion.
The movie's setting stretches beyond the boundaries of modern-day Greece, transposing its narrative to the bustling scene of Hollywood, making it a global commentary on societal norms. The film's controversial and provocative nature may lead to divided opinions, but its originality and boldness are sure to make it a movie people will be talking about for years to come.
