Kinds of Kindness cements Yorgos Lanthimos’ unique ability to create a facsimile of the real world that is simultaneously alien to ours and yet fully capable of imparting knowledge about the human condition. His most recent work is an anthology, featuring a triptych of fables populated by top-tier talent playing different roles in each story. Poor Things star Emma Stone returned to collaborate with Lanthimos once more, joined by previous costars and newcomers alike: Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, and Mamoudou Athie.
Each of Kinds of Kindness‘ three worlds — “The Death of R.M.F.”, “R.M.F. is Flying”, and “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich” — centers a different type of control disguised as kindness. In all three stories, Plemons and Stone’s characters find themselves trapped by their environment, with Dafoe’s characters often being the ones pulling the strings. In “The Death of R.M.F.”, Dafoe plays a boss who provides his employees with uncomfortably exacting directions, while in “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”, he plays a religious leader who demands total purity from his followers.
Emma Stone returns with another Yorgos Lanthimos movie, and there are options for where to watch Kinds of Kindness in theaters or on streaming.
Screen Rant interviewed Plemons and Dafoe about working with Yorgos Lanthimos on Kinds of Kindness, reuniting with Stone in a very different context than Poor Things, and which of the movie’s kooky realities they would choose to live in.
Kinds Of Kindness Stars Reflect On Working With Yorgos Lanthimos & Emma Stone
Jesse Plemons: Most exciting or surprising? I think it’s just him getting to know the man behind all these amazing standalone films. In the beginning, like most people, he’s a little enigmatic and hard to crack. He’s got a very sharp sense of humor, and then at the same time, he can be incredibly warm. And the environment he creates is one that’s just conducive to, I think, a sense of freedom and exploration.
Yeah, it was getting to know him, and then his notes. He’s never locked into any one way of looking at something, thinking about something, and then he’ll give you a specific note that’s very easy to understand. That’ll just make something shift in your head and open it up in a new way. But I would say getting to know him.
Willem, it’s very interesting and at times disturbing to see your dynamic with Emma Stone in this movie after having watched Poor Things. How different was it for you or how similar was it to act with her again, in this way?
Willem Dafoe: I adore her. I really like being around her. She’s an incredible actress, so it was just fun to have stuff with her. Of course, my relationship with her is very different to the relationship that I have with her in Poor Things, but a lot of my stuff is with Jessie and with Hong Chau. I wish I had more with Emma, but she’s great to perform with.
Jesse Plemons: You did share that extended kiss.
Willem Dafoe: Not only that. There’s that one scene… Well, no! It’s all the stuff you don’t see. I’m really proud of myself. I censored myself for once.
Willem Dafoe Wants To Revisit On Kinds Of Kindness Character In Particular
Finally, if you both had to choose one of these worlds to be controlled in, would you want to do “The Death of R.M.F.”, “R.M.F. Is Flying”, or “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”?
Willem Dafoe: I’m going to Omi’s place.
Jesse Plemons: Yeah, me too! Me too. Just don’t contaminate yourself, and you’re all good.
About Kinds Of Kindness
An anthological fable of free will, Kinds of Kindness follows three distinct stories each featuring different characters portrayed by the same actors: a man without choice as he attempts to take control of his life; a policeman whose “wife” returns home after being missing-at-sea, but seems to be a completely different person; and a woman whose sights are set on finding someone with a specific special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.
