Poor Things creator Yorgos Lanthimos follows up his Oscar-winning masterpiece with a film that somehow feels even more avant-garde, despite it’s scrappy low-budget esthetic. A trilogy of shorts linked by a cast and similar themes, Kinds of Kindness is difficult to describe, and even more difficult to explain. Cinephiles won’t be satisfied with just one viewing, which is why the home video release of this Searchlight Pictures release is a likely addition to any film buff’s library.
(Searchlight/Sony)
Dubbed a “triptych fable,” the showcase begins with “The Death of R.M.F.” in which a man named Robert (Jesse Plemons) pushes back against his overcontrolling boss (Willem Dafoe) only to experience the drastic consequences of his attempt to wrestle back a bit of power. “R.M.F. is Flying” finds a police officer named Daniel (Jesse Lemons) unable to believe that his missing wife Liz (Emma Stone) has actually returned home. And “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich” finds Emily (Emma Stone) following a prophecy to find the mythical chosen one who can bring about the end of a contagion unleashed on the world.
Who is R.M.F.? Why is he the only character connecting these stories, no matter how inconsequentially? Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film makes a point of never explaining anything, which becomes a bit of a running joke through the behind-the-scenes featurette included with this home entertainment release. This review covers the contents of the Blu-Ray release, which is paired with a digital copy.
Bonus Features
- It Takes All Kinds: The Vision of Kinds of Kindness (15:14) – Join cast and crew for a behind-the-scenes look at this unique triptych story written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou. See how the sets, costumes, cinematography and music amplify the film's themes, and discover — maybe — what RMF stands for.
- Deleted Scenes (1:04)
- Robert ignores the SatNav (0:49)
- Liz isn't recognised (0:19)
Video
The Blu-ray presentation of Kinds of Kindness offers a visually stunning experience, with a refined AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1 that maintains a beautifully film-like quality. The use of vivid, evocative colors – particularly rich blues and teal tones – provides strong visual links across its multiple stories, while the contrast is stable and impressive, delivering punchy blacks and exceptional depth in low-light scenes. The film’s grain structure, influenced by the variety of film stocks used, adds texture without detracting from the overall clarity. With excellent detail levels and a well-suited dimensionality, this transfer expertly showcases the film's breathtaking locations and unique visual style.
Audio
The standard audio mix on the Blu-ray release of Kinds of Kindness is a subtly immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that excels in clarity and precision. Dialogue is consistently rendered with full-bodied depth, ensuring voices are clean and distinct throughout. Subtle environmental sounds and the piano-based score by Jerskin Fendrix are thoughtfully placed around the soundstage, providing a nuanced auditory experience without relying on showy surround effects. While there are moments of spatial envelopment and punchy low-frequency enhancement, the surround activity is used sparingly, enhancing the atmosphere without overwhelming the viewer. Overall, the audio mix complements the film's tone with finesse and attention to detail. Additional audio options include a 2.0 descriptive audio mix, plus 5.1 French, Spanish (es), Spanish (la), German, and Italian.
Packaging & Design
Kinds of Kindness comes home in a standard Blu-Ray case with a matte slipcover in the initial pressing. The menu repeats the collage cover artwork set to score from the film. The only insert is a flier with a Movies Anywhere digital copy redemption code.
Final Thoughts
Like Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness is a weird movie that is hard to take in on just one viewing. For that reason, cinephiles who want to study his work will love the ability to revisit this film. The supplemental materials are nice, albeit brief, but the real standout of this Blu-Ray/Digital bundle is the video and audio quality (Note: There isn’t a 4K Ultra-HD release for this film).
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