The Lobster (2015)

The Lobster (2015)

6/10

Starring

Colin Farrell

Rachel Weisz

Jessica Barden

Olivia Colman

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

The Lobster is not bad cinema, but I find it hard to recommend this movie for anyone to see. I guess the message of the movie is its strength and not the tale to which the said message was woven.

The movie has a statement which it tries hard to make in the confines of almost two hours. The weirdness, the musical score and the world to which the movie lives is not something I enjoyed much. In fact the only time the movie was enjoyable at its peak is when David got into a relationship with a woman who was emotionless. The movie after that seemed like another long drag in another world, where the opposite meal is served, but on the same plate.

As per acting goes, the movie does not cut any slack. The actors are on top of the table in this one, dancing away and showing us how good they are.

When it comes to the story: well it is easy to follow and the weirdness and somehow numbness of the ride before things pick up when David found a partner almost made me stop watching.

The movie plot drops us in this world where everyone is believed to be nothing or not worth being, if they do not have a partner. David (Colin Farrell) just lost his wife to another man. David is taken to a hotel where he has to stay until he finds another partner. The hotel has many rules, the main rule is, if you do not find a partner within the stipulated time period, you will be turned into an animal of your choosing.

Another of the hotel rule is that, you can extend your days of waiting to find a partner if you hunt down single people, who live in the forest.

David now has an uphill battle because he is not totally getting along well in finding a partner, but he has a plan to make sure he gets one.

As you would expect in movies, things never go as planned.

The movie’s two statements from my own point of view is:

Not everyone will get to be with someone or find a partner that fits just right. Some of us will have to wait longer than others to find someone. Some of us will find the okay person (not a perfect fit, but good enough to make us happy) after waiting a long time in the most awkward places, places we never thought they could be.

Sex and romance should not be something that should be caged in the confines of marriage. Neither should it be something the society frowns upon when a single person seeks out sexual pleasures in the way the choose fit. We should be free to express ourselves how we please. No one should be made to feel bad, because they have chosen one way to satisfy themselves over another.

In the end, the message of the movie is what makes the movie, not the movie itself. So, I do not know if you will like to see this movie. The choice is yours.

Do note it was a box office success making over four times its production budget, and it is a critical success too. It won and received many nominations, during its year of release.