Kinds of Kindness

Available on Disney+

By now, Yorgos Lanthimos’ reputation as one of contemporary cinema’s foremost visionaries precedes him, and rightfully so. His delightfully provocative Poor Things remains my favourite film of the year, it being an ample reminder that both comedy and surrealism can be mediums for dissecting complex and polarising topics. Consequently, it’s disappointing to find that Lanthimos’ latest, Kinds of Kindness, does nothing of the sort.

This most unusual of triptychs sees a stellar ensemble cast perform a series of disconnected tales that allude to themes of degradation and servitude without ever being self-aware enough to say anything meaningful about them. For example, its second is centred on the sudden return of a man’s missing wife and the gradual deterioration of their relationship, but never explains the reasons for either her disappearance or their eventual uncoupling.

Additionally, each fable (in particular the second and third) feature scenes that are so needlessly repulsive that they cause you to suspect that their only intention is to shock and antagonise viewers. Acts of self-harm and sexual abuse can be necessary accompaniments to challenging and thematic pieces of work, but when they are included for little more than shock value, it feels tasteless.

While many of the hallmarks of a typical Lanthimos film - striking aesthetics, first-rate performances, and acerbic wit - are on display, Kinds of Kindness feels like a pale, experimentalist accompaniment to the director’s best work that is just about made worthwhile by the typically eminent performances of Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Though this is scarcely more than a blemish on an otherwise spotless directorial career, it does demonstrate the pitfalls of forsaking meaning for uninhibited absurdism.