What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedKinds of Kindness
Yorgos Lanthimos · Film · 2024
If you loved Kinds of Kindness, start with KAOS (Charlie Covell, 2024) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Kinds of Kindness across media.
You were drawn to the way Kinds of Kindness dissects the fragile, unsettling power dynamics that govern our most intimate human connections.
Books on the same thread
Antkind
Charlie Kaufman · Book · 2020
Shares 2 threads with Kinds of Kindness: Identity, Existentialism.
Much like the surreal narratives in Kinds of Kindness, this novel explores the disorientation of identity and the thin, often permeable boundary between our internal reality and external control.
The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas
Ursula K. Le Guin · Book · 1993
Explores: Utilitarianism, Moral compromise, Social responsibility.
This story mirrors the moral dilemmas found in Kinds of Kindness by forcing you to confront the disturbing compromises individuals accept to maintain their own sense of personal comfort.
You Like It Darker
Stephen King · Book · 2024
Explores: Mortality, Good vs Evil, The Supernatural.
These dark tales capture the same unsettling atmosphere as Kinds of Kindness, focusing on the unpredictable nature of human behavior when pushed toward the brink of existential dread.
The Memory Police
Yoko Ogawa · Book · 1994
Shares a thread with Kinds of Kindness: Identity.
The chilling surveillance and loss of self in this dystopia echo the themes of identity erasure and external manipulation that define the characters within Kinds of Kindness.
Series on the same thread
The White Lotus
Mike White · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Kinds of Kindness: Dark Comedy.
You will recognize the biting satire and the exploration of toxic power imbalances from Kinds of Kindness as this ensemble navigates their own complex, self-serving social hierarchies.
The Young Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2016
Explores: faith and doubt, power dynamics, corruption.
The rigid, claustrophobic power structures and the protagonist's struggle for authority mirror the intense, cult-like devotion and existential crisis seen throughout the triptych of Kinds of Kindness.
KAOS
Charlie Covell · Series · 2024
Shares a thread with Kinds of Kindness: Dark Comedy.
This series captures the absurd, high-stakes collision between human free will and divine control that drives the fables of Kinds of Kindness into such dark, comedic territory.
High Potential
Drew Goddard · Series · 2024
Explores: Unlikely Partnerships, Brilliant Outsider, Single Parent.
The unlikely, tension-filled partnership at the heart of this mystery mirrors the strange, codependent bonds that dictate the lives of the characters found in Kinds of Kindness.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
This anthology series provides the same bite-sized, experimental moral inquiries found in Kinds of Kindness, presenting diverse, cinematic windows into the complexities of the human condition.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Kinds of Kindness: Existentialism.
If the philosophical underpinnings of Kinds of Kindness intrigued you, these discussions offer a deeper look at the existential responsibility and individual choice central to that film.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kinds of Kindness a single continuous story?
No, Kinds of Kindness is structured as a triptych fable. It consists of three distinct stories, each following different characters and plot lines, including a man without choice, a policeman with a changed wife, and a woman searching for a future spiritual leader.
What is the plot structure of Kinds of Kindness?
Kinds of Kindness is presented as a triptych fable. It explores three separate narrative arcs: a man attempting to take control of his life, a policeman dealing with his wife's mysterious return, and a woman searching for an individual destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.
Does Kinds of Kindness follow one main character throughout the film?
No, Kinds of Kindness does not follow a single protagonist. It is a triptych fable featuring different central characters in each of its three segments, ranging from a man without choice to a policeman and a woman seeking a spiritual leader.
How many distinct stories are featured in Kinds of Kindness?
Kinds of Kindness features three distinct stories within its triptych fable structure. These narratives follow a man trying to take control of his life, a policeman alarmed by his wife's return, and a woman searching for a person with a special ability destined to be a leader.