Kinds of Kindness

It's not for everyone. Fans of dark humor will go along for this long, non-Oscar bait ride.

Director/writer Yorgos Lanthimos ("Poor Things," "The Favourite") teams up once again with writer Efthimis Filippou (they collaborated on "The Lobster" and "The Killing of a Sacred Deer") with the anthology film "Kinds of Kindness."

Their previous collaborations share the common thread of being heavily divisive, loved or hated. "Kinds of Kindness" will strengthen one's argument on both opinions. "KoK" is three short films sharing the theme of choice and control and what happens when we lose those. All three films feature Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau and Mamoudou Athie (all very good in their performances). The film's running time is 2:45. You ready?

Gone are the lush production design from "The Favourite" and "Poor Things." All three films are set in Regular Cities, U.S.A. Still in tact is some pretty dark humor (A Lanthimos staple) and some outlandish visuals. Because of the Regular City settings, these characters and visuals hit closer to home. They could be your neighbors or sitting next to you at a resistant. A cinematic version of stage actors coming up the isles and performing right next to your seat.

"The Death of R.M.F." has Plemons as a corporate lackey who follows every order of his boss (Dafoe). Every order. Every single, twisted, order. What about drugging a woman so they'll have a miscarriage? Murder of another? What happens when the lackey stands up and say no?

"R.M.F. is Flying" is about Daniel (Plemons), a police officer still reeling from the disappearance of his wife (Stone). When she is miraculously found and rescued, there's celebration and soon doubt. Daniel convinces himself that this is not actually his wife (her shoes don't fit!) and pushes her to prove herself in the darkest of ways.

"Flying" gave one of the biggest laughs of the evening's screening. Before her discovery, Daniel has invited his partner/best friend and his wife over for dinner. After small talk and emotional support, Daniel wants to watch home movies of his wife. His guests don't think it's the best idea. Cut to: the home movie is a sexual foursome of both couples. 

In "R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich," Stone and Plemons work for cult leaders Dafoe and Chau, who are searching for a woman who has the ability to bring back the dead. Stone's character had a dream of being rescued from drowning one of a pair of twin swimmers (Qualley). Because of the cult angle (a venue based on choice and control), there's more of a sense of dread throughout this film plus some wincing moments including a drugging and the aftermath and the dangers of an empty pool. Plus a swerve near the end.

Who is R.M.F.? Not telling, but there is a slight payoff at the end of the third film.

Could the filmmakers taken all three of these films, extended them and then release them separately? Probably but with even less returns. "Kinds of Kindness" is not for everyone. Fans of dark humor will go along for this long, non-Oscar bait ride. (Monotone voice) It's still better than "The Killing of a Sacred Deer."

Matthew Socey is host of the Film Soceyology podcast for wfyi.org