Fantastic Fest ’15 Review: THE LOBSTER

Without seeing Lanthimos’ previous film Dogtooth, I knew that I might be seeing a film by an auteur in the making. The Lobster, when reading the initial synopsis, didn’t seem like a film that would be a film that would show at Fantastic Fest with a possible romantic interest between Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz. The plot of The Lobster is that in order to stay in society, people must find a compatible mate within 45 days if they are single. Your wife died? You have 45 days to find a single woman to be with. Luckily, if this happens, you are taken care of by a group where they house the single people inside a hotel/resort and arrange dances and other opportunities to meet a significant other. The only way your days can be extended is by hunting the outcasts of this dystopian society called “loners”. If the hunt is successful, you get a day extra for each loner that you shoot with a tranquilizer gun. Now, that sounds more like a Fantastic Fest genre film. Hopefully, this helped get the film on your radar because it is certainly a sight to behold.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z069ldsumxA”]

Lanthimos crafts a film full of desperation, dread, awkward, intentional humor and even the feeling of hope when it comes to love that no matter what, if two people are meant to be together, they will be together, regardless of how dire the environment. Lanthimos also looks at the other side of the coin and questions if people are willing to surrender their individuality for companionship. Do we surrender our personality or do we adapt and evolve for our significant other.

The Lobster is outstanding and reminds me of Kubrick not only in Lanthimos’ framing and composition but with the way he presents the film and has his actors deliver in deadpan delivery. However, what makes it even better is that he doesn’t seem to be copying Kubrick, it seems to be flowing naturally out of his storytelling. Shot compositions feel mathematical and meticulously fashioned that would lend this film multiple viewings on a technical level.

Colin Farrell delivers a somber performance. One of the highlights was Ashley Jensen as a desperate woman who is trying to find her significant other by any means possible. Angeliki Papoulia as the Heartless Woman is a character that could have her own movie and still be fascinating.

The Lobster is not only a revelation to me but it is a revelation to cinema this year. It is the definition of pure unfiltered emotion and demands to be seen by those that enjoy cinema that goes off the beaten path.