The Lobster, released in October of 2015, is a black comedy film directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. It follows David, played by Colin Farrell, as he enters a hotel for single people after his wife leaves him for someone else. The ridiculous, dystopian world crafted by Lanthimos gives singles at this hotel 45 days to find a partner. Failing this, they will be permanently turned into beasts and released into The Woods. David opts for becoming a lobster if he doesn’t find love in time.
Lanthimos is the director of a number of critically acclaimed films, including but not limited to Dogtooth (2009), and, following The Lobster, The Favourite (2018) and Poor Things (2018). The Lobster itself was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 89th Academy Awards and the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and won the Jury Prize at the latter.
The film is unapologetically absurd, and stubbornly refuses to explain the world in which it takes place. The effect of this is a gripping and engaging story which throws you in the deep end and keeps you guessing for the full 2 hours. Watching The Lobster, I was taken on an emotional journey, laughing out loud multiple times and viscerally uncomfortable and cringing away from the screen at others. The surreal nature of the film and its odd, stilted characters and setting are an effective source of humour as well as deep discomfort and cringe, and at times bewilderment. Behaviour and stylings that in one moment have me cackling, are also repeatedly utilised to provoke confusion and unease.
The Lobster was a fascinating watch that required a lot of thought during and afterwards to wrap my head around. There are still elements of it that make no sense to me. It portrays aspects of dating, romance, and solitude in overblown and satirised ways. By defamiliarising behaviours and actions that are relatively commonplace in modern approaches to dating, the film prompts the audience to reflect on their understanding of and emotions regarding dating, companionship, and being alone.
The writing and acting are excellent. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and the rest of the cast deliver performances that are intentionally flat and stilted, and yet somehow brimming with intense and nuanced emotion. This is combined with beautiful visual language and cinematography in a beautiful setting, as well as a haunting, off putting score. All of these elements come together in a neat package, building an incredibly coherent atmosphere that is simultaneously comedic and absurd, and unnerving and enthralling.
4/5
Image Credits – The MovieDB
