REVIEW: KINDS OF KINDNESS

3.5/5

Kind Of Good.

164 Mins. Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie & Hunter Schafer. Screenwriters: Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou. Director: Yorgos Lanthimos. In: Theatres.

Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. All incredible actors playing their part in the absurd anthology and trippy triptych fable 'Kinds Of Kindness', from great artistic director of our times, Yorgos Lanthimos. One that will leave you thinking, "what the"...I don't even think there's a word in the English language that can comprehend quite what's going on here. And this is what makes modern movies like this (see Ari Aster's 'Hereditary' and 'Midsommar' follow-up, 'Beau Is Afraid', starring Joaquin Phoenix) so damn compelling...even days after you've left the cinema. Especially when they come from the likes of Yorgos, who after boiling and simmering for years with indie classics like 'The Lobster' and the criminally underrated 'The Killing Of A Sacred Deer', hit Oscar gold with 'The Favorite' and most recently, those 'Poor Things'. Now, not even a year later, he reunites with both Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe (also arriving with 'Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice', finally in Japanese cinemas this week) for his most far out film yet.

And this is a guy who broke out with a story about lonely souls looking for love wanting to be turned into an animal of their choice. Well, now Colin Farrell (reunion, please) has seemingly chosen to be a 'Penguin', Lanthimos' new leading man looks to be Jesse Plemons (also about to debut 'Civil War' in Japan this week), who takes hold of the first story in this trilogy also written by Yorgos and long-time collaborator Efthimis Filippou ('Dogtooth', 'Alps' and the rest). Plemons himself, who has emerged from character actor ('Black Mass', 'The Irishman'), to a full-fledged force ('Black Mirror', 'Killers Of The Flower Moon'), is as chameleonic as the director he plays for, rocking the suit, turtleneck and moustache number in the first act. A Matt Damon like star with even more depth, who also reminds you of the cluster mindf### that was his 'I'm Thinking Of Ending Things' on Netflix. This one can be just as much of a confusing and frustrating slog, especially with its epically jarring score from 'Poor Things' music man Jerskin Fendrix. It's clear this was the part that won Plemons Best Actor at Cannes, willing to do anything for Willem Dafoe's embrace (who wouldn't?).

Not that he doesn't excel in the second of these loosely connected R.M.F. (the original title of this movie also considered as 'And') parts that are all distinct in their own right. The second sees Plemons cop character beat down by the fact that his wife has disappeared, and this is where we see a bubbling Emma Stone begin to rise to the crop of this acting talent, just like 'Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood' star Margaret Qualley (much like the 'Drive Away Dolls' hitmaker was and is in 'Things' of this nature). Dafoe takes a back seat in this one, but 'The Front Runner' and 'Jurassic World: Dominion' star Mamoudou Athie is as reliable as partners and best friends come. But who really did come back from that island like many a moon, or astronauts wife stories? Does the Cinderella fit, or is the cat out the bag? Meanwhile, the tortured men's club of Joe Alwyn gets it even worse than he has done from the Swifties, before he shows the dark depths of his acting reach in the third and final act of these staged stories of art house cinema.

A cult following of Willem Dafoe in Y-fronts (and you thought the shorts and high-socks in part one were crazy) and a timid flock of seagulls haircut gives you the last and most lasting chapter of all. Especially as one of the world's best actors, Emma Stone gives you a performance of all her power, alongside a perfect Plemons. The crueller these 'Kinds Of Kindness' gets, the more sculpture strong Stone's craftsmanship does. High-tailing it around in an out of control, Prince purple Dodge Charger that parks like a snake on an oil slick street. Emma gives it her all, in a part that has a compelling cameo from the 'Euphoria' of Hunter Schafer. 'Downsizing' delight and 'The Whale' star Hong Chau gets her licks in too, but it's Qualley on double-duty that dives into one of her best (dual) performances yet. Subtly, it's 'The Substance' of her year. Still with us after the 164 insane minutes of these nightmare scenarios dressed-up as 'Sweet Dreams' for those who are "looking for something" (like everybody is), and willing to do all kinds for it? It's all worth it to see Emma Stone break it down in the most iconic dance since 'Ex Machina'. The human nature of this black comedy satire won't nurture you with kindness, but it just may kill you with it. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Poor Things', 'Beau Is Afraid', 'I'm Thinking Of Ending Things'.