At just 35, Emma Stone now has two Best Actress Oscars – and maybe a third isn’t that far off either. Following her wonderfully emotional acceptance speech at the 96th Academy Awards, it was confirmed that the Hollywood heavyweight would be reuniting with Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos for his next film, Kinds of Kindness.
The Reunion We Were Waiting For?
Lanthimos and Stone last collaborated on the critically-acclaimed 2018 period drama The Favourite and the 2022 short film Bleat. The anticipation was high for their new venture. However, despite its intriguing concept, Kinds of Kindness feels more bewildering than beguiling.
A Steady Lineup Falls Flat
The film boasts an impressive ensemble including Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons, and Margaret Qualley. Curiously though, Hunter Schafer is not mentioned in connection with this film. Schafer does not appear in it.
An Ambitious Triptych Narrative
Lanthimos’s latest tells three interconnected stories: A man struggling with fate, a policeman haunted by his wife’s eerie return, and a woman searching for a spiritual leader. While ambitious on paper, the execution leaves much to be desired.
As Lanthimos himself remarked about the project in January: I still can’t tell you exactly what it is about. But I also wouldn’t want to tell you what I thought the stories are about because it just makes it so small.
Lack of Cohesion Overshadows Performances
While there are standout performances—particularly by Willem Dafoe—the lack of coherent narrative threads makes it hard for any one role to shine.The women in this category — Sandra, Annette, Carey, Lily — I share this with you,
I’m in awe of you.
Aesthetics Over Substance
Lanthimos’s deadpan genius:
creates bizarre yet engrossing landscapes; however, this time it feels like style overtook substance. The result is a visually striking but emotionally distant experience.
Final Verdict
Kinds of Kindness aims for profundity but ultimately loses its way. It sparkles with moments of brilliance that are overshadowed by an overarching sense of confusion. Look out for it in cinemas from June 28.
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