A triptych of short stories all featuring a controlling, abusive relationship. 

Writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos delivers three incredibly peculiar short stories featuring the same actors playing different characters with only two connecting threads. Firstly they all feature the mysterious character of R. M. F. and secondly they are all about characters trying desperately to stay in a controlling toxic relationship that they see as love. 

“The Death of R. M. F.” follows a man named Robert (Jesse Plemons) who lives his entire life per the commands of a rich benefactor named Raymond (Willem Dafoe). But when he finally decides to say no and is rejected he will do anything to get back into his good graces. 

“R. M. F. is Flying” features a police officer named Daniel (Jesse Plemons) whose wife has gone missing in the ocean. When she is rescued he starts to believe that Liz (Emma Stone) is not really Liz and begins to make extreme demands of her to prove her love. 

“R. M. F. Eats a Sandwich” finds us following Emily (Emma Stone) and Andrew (Jesse Plemons) as they search for the saviour that the leader of their sex cult has predicted. But when Emily finds herself expelled from the cult she discovers she will go to any end to try to be readmitted. 

Each story features an incredibly perverse sense of humour whilst flirting with realism and surrealism. These stories seem to be heightened and exaggerated tales that highlight how people can believe that abusive and controlling relationships are loving and protective. 

The acting troupe of Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie and Joe Alwyn give brilliantly committed performances across all three features in what are incredibly artistic pieces featuring an array of horrible characters and peculiar line readings. Jesse Plemons in particular seems to be able to give all of his characters something special that makes them fascinating. 

The end result will only please a niche audience but is full of artistic merit. With a running time of 164 minutes I suspect some will find it incredibly trying and not find their way to the culmination of a rather idiosyncratic film. The middle of the three stories is particularly open ended in terms of its interpretation and may be the final straw for many, which would be a shame as the final story is one of the more engaging of the three. 

A peculiar artistic endeavour that some will find blackly funny and intriguing. Whilst others will consider it an interminable bore.