The arthouse film “Useful Idiots” (2024) by Italian director, actor, and screenwriter Maurizio Mistretta is challenging to evaluate within the framework of commercial cinema we are used to. Therefore, let’s not judge it that way – instead, let’s see it as a piece of contemporary art, which it truly is.
Art where killers and prostitutes grapple with their inner demons, whims, and pains, attempting to heal their wounds, take revenge, or escape, leading to inevitable confrontations with one another.
Nowadays, modern art isn’t about the beauty of flowers or butterflies – it lays bare the inner ugliness of humanity, exposing the mental illnesses plaguing society, bouts of absurdity and meaninglessness that overwhelm contemporary individuals, and moral decay. Yet, even within this, like blades of grass breaking through after winter, there emerge the desires for friendship and love – the very reasons humanity has persevered since ancient times.
For about a decade, Maurizio Mistretta directing plays in Pisa’s prison with inmates and around the same time, he also organized art-related activities in private and public schools in Thailand. “Useful Idiots” was also shot in Thailand’s capital Bangkok; however, the film features a diversity of actors. One of the main roles was played by a Lithuanian actor Matas Danielius.
Matas Danielius was born and raised in Lithuania but finished art school in Cambridge; wishing for freedom, he decided to move to Thailand. After being inspired by various representatives of the world of theater and film, such as Antonin Artaud, Jerzy Grotowski, Yoshi Oida, etc., he decided to continue his acting career in theater and films. In “Useful Idiots” he plays one of the main roles; the whole crew is no longer Lithuanian, Italian, Thai, or British – they are global citizens.
Action takes place in modern Bangkok where 2 hitmen, Ben (Willy Zogo) and Gus (Matas Danielius), live in a pillowless and dark room provided by the secret organization they work for. In their free time, when Ben isn’t dancing and Gus isn’t listening to local news, they carry out the orders from clients and their boss San Lieng, or in other words, they kill people.
Unfortunately, Gas, in a moment of misplaced sensitivity, makes a fatal mistake – he kills a prostitute Sofi (Tuanao Natsuko), who wasn’t meant to die. This draws the ire of everyone, including San Liang and Sofi’s sisters, dragging his partner Ben into the mess. Sofi’s sisters seek vengeance, while the hitmen desperately try to save themselves.
Although “Useful Idiots” was made in 2024, its editing is reminiscent of vintage films. Its soundtrack and alternative visual style are closest to the works of Stanley Kubrick, while thematically, it echoes Franz Kafka’s prose. In his novels “The Trial” and “The Castle,” Kafka explores absurd realities from which escape is impossible.
Similarly, Mistretta depicts a mysterious, unnamed organization that operates like a panopticon – omniscient, omnipresent, and controlling every detail. The organization forms its own wishes and when someone no longer serves their purpose – it is not afraid to get rid of them. It knows everything about everyone, and basic human decency simply vanishes in the noise of chaos.
The people in the organization don’t know what they’re doing or why they’re doing it. As a viewer, it’s often unclear why certain poems are recited, why emotions seem so disproportionate, or why inexplicable love triangles emerge suddenly. These contribute to the overall sense of absurdity – the essence of absurdism itself.
They are balancing on a thin line, drawn between absurdity as a means of an art genre and bad scriptwriting; however, the authors of the film manage to successfully present absurdity as art.
The acting in this film is commendable, with actors vividly portraying their characters. It’s fascinating to observe how actors from different nationalities perform, showcasing unique English accents unlike those we typically hear in Hollywood films, dominated by native speakers.
The film is full of drama, expressive emotions, and absurd dialogues that provoke confusion, surprise, and even laughter. A standout moment is the director’s own appearance in a scene, playing in an absurdist theater, summarizing the film as a tragicomic absurdist drama. In my opinion, the film also belongs to the magical realism genre due to its mystical elements interwoven with a realistic narrative.
In conclusion, “Useful Idiots” is a perfect fit for alternative cinema enthusiasts who want to enrich their film experiences with unique visuals, intriguing directorial choices, and a multicultural cast.
