David (Colin Farrell, far left) and the other Hotel guests on the bus to go hunting (Lanthimos, 2016).
by Megan Hess
We live in a world that encourages romantic and marital partnerships. Our entertainment media usually has romantic subplots, and books and movies focused solely on romance typically do very well. Married couples get legal, economic, and social rewards that couples who are only dating or living together do not. These and other factors contribute to the societal idea that people’s lives are better when they are in a monogamous relationship than seeing several people at once, or not seeing anyone at all. But, what if, instead of just implying that being romantically attached was superior, society directly discouraged singleness - if it offered up an ultimatum: find a mate in a prescribed amount of time, or lose your humanity?
The Lobster (Lanthimos, 2016) operates on this spellbinding premise. Divorced or otherwise single people get shipped off to an upscale hotel designed for the purpose of obtaining a life partner. Once there, they have 45 days to find a compatible mate. If they do not accomplish this objective within the 45-day period, they will be turned into an animal of their choosing. Such a zany, captivating, premise could crumble if mishandled, but, as interpreted by Lanthimos and his team, it’s successful - an unflinching, dark-humored, cynical social commentary on romance and companionship.
An innovative plot can only get a filmmaker so far. The Lobster persists beyond attention-grabbing summary because of its relatability. No matter how far it ventures into the bizarre, it remains true to life. The Lobster creates this effect from the beginning in myriad ways. Casting choice is a significant one. The main players are fringe names – actors who have been working in the industry a long time, but do not have the household presence or star power as, for example, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt do in America. Casting big names in a picture is usually a good marketing strategy, but it is not always the best artistic choice. In fact, it can often work against a director’s favor because the audience is unable to detach the stars from their previous roles. The Lobster does not have that problem. It has a wealth of great character parts, and the actors in those roles are well-suited to them.
We live in a world that encourages romantic and marital partnerships. Our entertainment media usually has romantic subplots, and books and movies focused solely on romance typically do very well. Married couples get legal, economic, and social rewards that couples who are only dating or living together do not. These and other factors contribute to the societal idea that people’s lives are better when they are in a monogamous relationship than seeing several people at once, or not seeing anyone at all. But, what if, instead of just implying that being romantically attached was superior, society directly discouraged singleness - if it offered up an ultimatum: find a mate in a prescribed amount of time, or lose your humanity?
The Lobster (Lanthimos, 2016) operates on this spellbinding premise. Divorced or otherwise single people get shipped off to an upscale hotel designed for the purpose of obtaining a life partner. Once there, they have 45 days to find a compatible mate. If they do not accomplish this objective within the 45-day period, they will be turned into an animal of their choosing. Such a zany, captivating, premise could crumble if mishandled, but, as interpreted by Lanthimos and his team, it’s successful - an unflinching, dark-humored, cynical social commentary on romance and companionship.
An innovative plot can only get a filmmaker so far. The Lobster persists beyond attention-grabbing summary because of its relatability. No matter how far it ventures into the bizarre, it remains true to life. The Lobster creates this effect from the beginning in myriad ways. Casting choice is a significant one. The main players are fringe names – actors who have been working in the industry a long time, but do not have the household presence or star power as, for example, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt do in America. Casting big names in a picture is usually a good marketing strategy, but it is not always the best artistic choice. In fact, it can often work against a director’s favor because the audience is unable to detach the stars from their previous roles. The Lobster does not have that problem. It has a wealth of great character parts, and the actors in those roles are well-suited to them.
Rachel Weitz, as the Short-Sighted Woman, delivers a standout performance (The Lobster, Lanthimos, 2016)
As well as avoiding Hollywood elites, The Lobster steps away from Hollywood body types…for the male characters, at least. All of the film’s major female characters except The Biscuit Woman (Ashley Jensen) are classically beautiful. I found this not only unrealistic, but at odds with the rest of the movie. The Lobster is not a film that celebrates beauty. Conversely, The Lobster wraps itself in bleak pessimism, with a scrim of discomfort. Happiness and love do not come easily. For some, they do not come at all. The Lobster does not fit all people’s definition of an enjoyable cinematic experience, but it is an important one – director\screenwriter Yorgos Lanthimos’ first film in English. I believe it was significant that Lanthimos chose not to make this film in his native language, Greek. The Lobster distinctly reflects American values and way of being. Lanthimos’ distance from American society allows him to see it with clearer eyes than an American director who’s enmeshed in the various cogs and gears might. He has created a rich, dark, unforgettable satire.
David dances with the Nosebleed Woman (Jessica Barden), one of his potential matches (The Lobster, Lanthimos, 2016)
Part of what makes The Lobster so memorable is all it leaves unknown. Unlike other dystopian dramas - both far-removed and recent - it does not provide exposition for why society picked up this practice. The process of turning humans into animals is never explained, either. The most irritating mystery is the specific details of David’s (Colin Farrell) revenge on a woman who has wronged him – second, of course, to its ending - which Entertainment Weekly calls “beautiful” and “elliptical” – (McGovern 1). The ending of the Lobster is reminiscent of a staple of high school English programs: Frank R. Stockton’s “The Lady or the Tiger?” – not in content but in its potential to provoke bewilderment in the viewer. As such, I would recommend not watching The Lobster unless you have a good half-hour or more to devote to developing your opinion of what happens after the final shot. For every argument, a potential counterpart emerges – but it’s a debate you won’t regret having, whether alone or with friends.
As highly as I praise The Lobster, I admit it might not be the best film for everyone. If you're a soft-hearted, easily nauseated, animal-loving, blockbuster fan, you might want to pass this one by. However, for those who choose to watch, it will be one of the best films you have ever had the chance to enjoy. The Lobster puts Lanthimos in the same class as Asghar Farhadi - a foreign director with crossover appeal, a talent too good to be hoarded by his home country. His next film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, comes out next year. Will it be as good as The Lobster? It's too soon to tell, but there's a good chance....
Works Cited
McGovern, Joe. “The Lobster: Colin Farrell shares his (spoiler-free) thoughts on the film’s ending.” Entertainment Weekly. 16 June 2016. http://ew.com/article/2016/06/06/colin-farrell-lobster-ending/ Accessed 26 February 2017.
As highly as I praise The Lobster, I admit it might not be the best film for everyone. If you're a soft-hearted, easily nauseated, animal-loving, blockbuster fan, you might want to pass this one by. However, for those who choose to watch, it will be one of the best films you have ever had the chance to enjoy. The Lobster puts Lanthimos in the same class as Asghar Farhadi - a foreign director with crossover appeal, a talent too good to be hoarded by his home country. His next film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, comes out next year. Will it be as good as The Lobster? It's too soon to tell, but there's a good chance....
Works Cited
McGovern, Joe. “The Lobster: Colin Farrell shares his (spoiler-free) thoughts on the film’s ending.” Entertainment Weekly. 16 June 2016. http://ew.com/article/2016/06/06/colin-farrell-lobster-ending/ Accessed 26 February 2017.
