Kinds of Kindness
- -A triptych fable following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.
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Technical Specs
Kinds of Kindness Box Office and Critical Response
Box Office Performance
Kinds of Kindness, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, earned $5 million across the United States and Canada. Internationally, it brought in $11.4 million, pushing its worldwide gross to $16.4 million.
In its limited opening weekend, the film played in just five theaters located in New York and Los Angeles. It managed to pull in $377,289, which averaged an impressive $75,457 per screen—the highest per-theater average of 2024 so far. In its second weekend, the release widened to 490 theaters and brought in $2 million, landing it at 10th place on the domestic box office chart.
Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, 71% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 280 ratings. The average score came in at 6.5 out of 10. The site describes the film as “a cold-hearted triptych with caustic wit,” praising it as Lanthimos at his most misanthropic and bitingly funny.
Meanwhile, Metacritic rated the film 64 out of 100, based on 58 critic reviews. This score reflects a consensus of “generally favorable” opinions.
Acting and Style
Critic Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com praised Jesse Plemons for his versatile performances. He noted that Plemons delivers not just one but potentially three of the year’s best portrayals, helping to anchor the film’s intense structure.
Similarly, Nick Rogers from Midwest Film Journal appreciated the film’s unique format. He highlighted the ensemble cast’s ability to take on different roles in each segment. While the film contains morbid humor and graphic violence, he suggested that viewers who can handle the intensity will find something worthwhile.
Year-End Praise
NPR included Kinds of Kindness in its roundup of 2024’s best movies and TV shows. Critic Glen Weldon wrote that Lanthimos continues to offer a bleakly funny view of humanity, pointing out how the director showcases our disturbing tendency toward violence and extremism.
Summary
While Kinds of Kindness won’t be for everyone, it has certainly made its mark both financially and critically. From its high per-screen average to its ambitious narrative structure, the film has sparked discussion and made waves across the industry.