‘Kinds of Kindness’ is an anthology film that explores absurd human relationships and power dynamics. The three different stories reminded me of a compilation of ‘Black Mirror’ episodes. The plot itself is the cinematic equivalent of the Milgram experiment as it felt like some sort of lab rat study where people have to obey an authority figure who instructs them to perform acts conflicting with their personal conscience.
Through his perspective, Lanthimos presents three different kinds of kindness. The connecting thematic threads between the three stories is seen in what “kindness” represents: manipulation, domination, obsession, submission, greed, lack of free will etc. The film does not provide a clear interpretation, but it is open to multiple interpretations.
In my opinion, these “kinds of kindness” represent the structure of society and human behavior in an allegorical sense: it is the decay of modern human relationships. I understand the obscure symbolism and general themes, however the overall narrative felt disjointed at times. The first part of the movie was pretty good. It tells the story of an employee and his hyper-manipulative boss who blurs the lines between obedience and free will. I thought that Jesse Plemons was a great protagonist and was the highlight of the film. The second part of the movie is about a police officer and his wife and their abnormal relationship after a tragic accident. The third part is about an absurd cult – it has some triggering scenes. This film is not for everyone so watch with caution (violence, rape, etc). Is this “art” or just for “shock factor”? Give it a watch if you dare and let me know what you think!