Kinds of Kindness 2024

This review contains spoilers after the non spoiler section. Non spoiler thoughts (summary): Kinds of Kindness thrives on absurdity, and power dynamics rather than clear messaging. Some parts land harder than others, but the film is consistent in one thing: showing how far people are willing to go once authority, desire, or belonging is placed above common sense. ⚠️ Spoilers ahead. From here on, plot details are discussed. Read on if you’ve seen the film. If not, save this post and come back after. ⚠️ The film immediately sets an uneasy tone with a piano score reminiscent of The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but this one works better for me because of the added guttural chorus. It reminds me of Dark, giving the music a more ritualistic and unsettling texture. The first part is darkly funny. Natawa talaga ako when he ended up killing R.M.F., something he didn’t even want to do at first. But the moment he felt the loss of privilege, doon na siya napilitan. It says a lot about how morality collapses once comfort and power are taken away. Obedience here isn’t about belief, it’s about fear of losing status. The second part leans fully into absurdity. Jesse suggesting that Emma cut off her own thumb, cook it with cauliflower is so random and extreme that I couldn’t help but laugh kahit hindi ko mafigure out if may symbolism. That absurdity becomes the point. This segment also gives strong Bugonia vibes. Paranoia, and conspiracy thinking. At first, you think Jesse is losing his mind, but by the end, it turns out he was right. That reversal is both funny and disturbing. The third part shifts into full cult territory. Rituals, and orgy-like ceremonies. But this is where the film lost me a bit. I can feel what it’s trying to do in terms of control, devotion, and submission, but I didn’t really get a clear emotional or thematic payoff from this last segment compared to the first two.