The Lobster Movie is a stunning satire. It is a metaphor on relationships, of how humans are always under constant peer pressure of finding that one true soul mate that has the same mental disability or defining characteristic as theirs. It is a society that’s divided into two major factions that calls shots on the relationship game – one being that of a loner, whilst the other cohort belongs to that of the couples. The Lobster movie is an unbiased therapeutic journey of David played brilliantly by Colin Farrell who stays influenced by all the rules, and takes decisions complying to set ordeals.
Direction of The Lobster Movie
What Yorgos Lanthimos does with his mammoth project is absolutely breathtaking. His choice of plot projection is simply ravishing too. He chooses to pick a monotonous mannerism to reflect on life’s bleakness. Our pointless gestures captured in one single dull tone. Every character is written in morose vibes except when they are pretending. Then there were his subtle lighting effects to assist him with his gorgeous setup.
His story chugs forward in decisive emblematic frames. There’s a reason every frame is there, silent metaphors lurking inside them. And he manages to leave you mesmerized with his product. At the end he leaves you guessing too, finally dropping a possibility of a big ‘what-if’ thus throwing you in a whirlwind of thoughts. You come out wondering, questioning, assessing and re-evaluating what the director had in his mind, and how everything sieves in to fit the bill.
Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou come up with this beautiful screenplay that goes hand in hand with life’s countless equations. They trace us in a way, stay comical at times and yet so profound that it is hard to shake their thought off.
We all dance by ourselves, that’s why we only play electronic music.
Theme and Comparisons
The comparisons that Yorgos Lanthimos intends to make and so effortlessly puts out there will compel you to question your life’s choices. Imagine a hotel, a mental institution of sorts, where people come out to meet their right fit. They are allotted a fixed amount of time to set their life in order, by finding a partner – a requisite to stay complete and fulfilled in a world obsessed with relationships.
“She feels nothing at all.”
The Hotel
The hotel forces upon its rules and regulations creating its very own set of theories and beliefs to establish its ordeals forcing people to act on them. People act as sheep following ways laid down by the Hotel. They have their very own idea of eternal bliss sprawled out on their brochures compelling others to think of yachts as their ‘happily everafters’. That finding a companion is the ultimate thing that needs be done. If by chance you couldn’t find a companion by the end of 45 days of hotel stay, you will be deemed unfit and turned into an animal. Animal here is a subtle wink at people who are looked at by our current societal set of mind as goners.
Loners
Au contraire to hotel’s belief, stands resistance. Rebellions known as loners (aptly named) who prefer to stay alone, dance alone in their misery. They are constantly hunted by the hotel residents as a sport. It is a way of Lanthimos implying society constantly picking on singles every now and then, turning them into animals. The juxtaposition of a world right outside that of hotel is beautifully done. You think that maybe the resistance would be the good guys, but no! Though liberal in their outlook they have their own set of regulations that take punitive measures for those who do not abide by their own laws.
“You can be a loner until the day you die. There is no time limit.”
City
City life here is another clever allusion at the world out there, where people judge you based on your relationship status. Staying single is a crime there. It works entirely on the lines of hotel beliefs. To them it is more of a preparation to set you out for sea. All the happy couples live, work and shop there. If you somehow are spotted single, cops start prodding you asking questions to establish if you aren’t an outcast, a loner which is a punishable crime in their eyes.
Then there are missions which are analogous to life’s menial purposes. Whilst the hotel is bent on hunting loners with tranquilizers, the mission of the loners is to bring chaos into the lives of those in relationships. The latter tries to open the eyes of those blinded by the concept of love. All of it is astoundingly directed.
“It is more difficult to pretend that you do have feelings when you don’t than to pretend you don’t have feelings when you do.”
With horrendous choices like the two factions, you can’t understand which one is right? Which one is the perfect one? Which one you should opt for? Because the idea of both of them are equally abysmal.
Beautiful Allegory
There are tons of allegorical slaps strewn all across the movie that makes you ponder on how things work in real life, and how pretentious we consider some things to be.
It also intelligently hints on how we are not supposed to be dependent on others for anything. This clever remark has been wrapped in the following extraordinary quote:
“Don’t expect anyone else to dig your grave for you or to carry your corpse. We’ll throw some dirt over you but that’s about it.”
That we should take matters in our own hand, always be prepared for the worst, and try to find a way without expecting someone to help us out.
Then there are numerous human emotions that come part and parcel of a relationship. Like the apparent jealousy, anxiety and distress that bothers you when you see someone talking, gifting, and caring for your partner more than you. It is perfectly shown when David goes over the top to find out if a person had the same distinctive feature as that of his love interest.
What is worth appreciating is the fact how Lanthimos uses ointments as an exemplary wink at single people in pain. How they can’t reach it by themselves, and are forced to live with it.
“He didn’t know how much it hurts to be alone, how much it hurts when you cannot reach to rub pain-relief ointment on your back, and you are constantly in pain.”
I intend to write a proper explanation of the movie in detail to help you fathom The Lobster movie completely. Keep your eyes open for that post.
You can order The Lobster movie here:
The Final Verdict
The Lobster makes for a very satisfying watch owing to its extraordinary comparisons, its dark parables and its unsettling irony. The final climax, leaves you in a cliffhanger posing a question as to what the protagonist might have really done. It leaves you to decide and that’s what a good movie should always do. Make you think for hours!
You can check out the trailer of The Lobster movie here:
The Lobster
Pros
- Extraordinary movie
- Outstanding Direction
- Mind-boggling plot
- A dark satire on human emotions
- Hidden analogies with real life
Cons
- Not for everybody
- Avant Garde Cinema that might vex some
