Kinds of Kindness, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest directorial effort, is billed as an anthology that features a triptych fable of thematically interconnected stories. He re-teams with Emma Stone (who won an Oscar for their previous collaboration Poor Things), who plays a different role in each of the movie’s three chapters: “The Death of R.M.F.”, “R.M.F. is Flying”, and “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”. Other major players include Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, and Mamoudou Athie.

A fable tends to have a moral to impart to the audience, and perhaps the characters who populate Kinds of Kindness must learn that their world is crueler than they think. The so-called kindness presented or exhibited in each of the movie’s distinct chapters is often nothing more than a trap, or at least a gift with far too many strings attached. While Stone and Plemons take the lead in every chapter, Athie and Alwyn play a vital role in the ensemble and help flesh out the off-kilter worlds that Lanthimos has created.

Screen Rant interviewed Alwyn and Athie about bringing Kinds of Kindness to life. Athie praised Lanthimos’ directorial vision, while Alwyn recalled how his dynamic with Stone has evolved since The Favourite, and they both took their time choosing which of the three “fables” they would opt to join in real life.

Kinds of Kindness Stars Praise Yorgos Lanthimos & Emma Stone

Screen Rant: Mamoudou, Kinds of Kindness is a wild ride for me as a viewer, so I can only imagine what it’s like to play three different characters in it. Can you tell me what aspect of Yorgos Lanthimos’ directorial style or vision impacted you most or was most exciting for you?

Mamoudou Athie: He’s very sure, in a way that’s malleable. He’s open to the environment, to play and see what’s going on, and to just try things in a way that feels very irreverent. But he believes in himself, and he believes in the people that he works with. I think that’s one of the things that’s attractive to the people that work with him. You can count on him.

Joe, it’s really interesting to watch your dynamic with Emma Stone in this movie, given your previous work with her in The Favourite. How would you say that this experience was different, or how was your working dynamic elevated this time around?

Joe Alwyn: I don’t know if it was hugely different. Both relationships are messy relationships, and dark at times. It’s certainly very dark in this one. What feels nice and is the throughline between the two is that the two of us get along really well. When you have to go into the dark corners of a character and do things that are very unpleasant, you hope that you’re going to be in a room with someone you really like and really trust. And that felt like the throughline between both of them.

What Are The Kinds Of Kindness & Which Would You Choose?

Speaking of a throughline, having these three stories together really leaves the viewer with a lot of potential interpretations. Did you each have a connecting thread that you took away from the triptych?

Mamoudou Athie: I mean, control is the obvious kind of throughline. It’s different kinds; acquiescing and relinquishing. Yeah, control, I’m not going to overstate it.

Joe Alwyn: Yeah, it’s control, and kindness being wrapped up as something else. But I like how open-ended it is. I like that people feel completely different things from it on a visceral level.

If you were forced to live in one of these controlled worlds, would you rather be in “The Death of R.M.F.”, “R.M.F. is Flying”, or “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”?

Mamoudou Athie: Oh, God! Net L.

Joe Alwyn: You don’t win in any of them. The first one? The second one?

Mamoudou Athie: The second one, probably more so than the first. Because the first one it’s like, “Man…” The second one is a very individual issue, whereas the first one feels like a worldwide conspiracy, almost.

Joe Alwyn: I don’t want to be in any of them, but probably the second one. Probably.

Mamoudou Athie: Right? It feels more individual to his situation and his mania. If it’s mania!

Joe Alwyn: He’s got more autonomy in it. Even though he’s having stuff done to him, he’s sort of maintained some autonomy in a way.

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.

Check back soon for our other interview with Jesse Plemons & Willem Dafoe.

Source: Screen Rant Plus