Respond to these rapid questions in our The Lobster quiz and we will tell you which The Lobster character you are. Play it now.
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, who is making his debut in the English language with the film “The Lobster,” presents a dystopian world in which being single is considered a criminal act. “The Lobster” is a black-hearted flat-affect comedy. When a couple breaks up, the person who is left “single” is thrust into the social margins of society. (As is the case with all good satire, “The Lobster” is based on real events and is accurate enough to make waves.) After a breakup, a person who is now single has forty-five days to find a new partner; if the new partner does not appear during that time, the single person will be transformed into an animal. The point is crystal clear: married couples should have the right to official protection as well as the privilege of being left alone by the State that shall remain nameless. In public places, demands for legal documentation are made to people who are single and identifying themselves as such. “The Lobster” adheres scrupulously to its own rules and never once gives the impression that it is joking around. The movie is cruel and cynical, despite the fact that it is very funny. He takes aim, and his aim is deadly. Lanthimos plays target practice.
In the beginning of the film, David (a fantastic performance by Colin Farrell) is shown listening indifferently to the voice of a girlfriend who is telling him that they are no longer together. In the next scene, David is seen checking into a hotel with his dog by his side while being asked a number of very personal and sensitive questions about his life. He never raises a single objection. However, it is abundantly clear that David is familiar with the norms and expectations of this world. (Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou, who have worked together on the scripts for “Dogtooth” and “Alps,” contributed to the writing of the screenplay.)
It is not long before we realize that David has arrived at a location where single people go in the hopes of meeting a potential partner. This is not the time for a New Agey retreat; the stakes are too high. There are allusions to a variety of movies, such as “Defending Your Life,” “Never Let Me Go,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and “Safe,” which all take place in an institutional setting that is focused on restraining the unpredictability of human feelings. There are hunts through the woods that are filmed in luxurious slow motion, with guests using stun guns to try and take each other out and reduce the number of competitors. There are presentations being given in a lecture hall about the perils of not having a significant other. (A woman who is out walking by herself is the victim of an assault. It is safer for a woman to walk alongside a man. And etc.) One evening, there is a dance, and it is difficult to conceive of a more depressing occasion than this one. David makes friends with two other people who are serving time in the same facility as him: a man who lisps, portrayed by John C. Reilly, and a man who limps, portrayed by Ben Whishaw. Relationship rules stipulate that a person who lisps must find a partner who also lisps, while a person who limps must find a partner who also limps. It’s like looking at romantic compatibility in a cruel fun house mirror. If every interaction contains the possibility of monogamy as well as societal-redemption, not to mention the avoidance of being turned into an animal, then personal connection not only becomes impossible but also becomes irrelevant.
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As David, Colin Farrell delivers one of the funniest and (strangely enough, considering how humorless the character is) charming performances he’s given since “In Bruges.” David is one of the main characters in the film. David is confused, submissive, depressed, and powerless at this point. Observe the expression on his face as he attends group events and listens to the “testimonies” of other people. There is not the slightest indication that they are aware of themselves. He is completely devoid of any sense of humor. David is the kind of man who is like a mushy, lukewarm pudding. The fact that Farrell sports a mustache, a pot belly, and glasses of unremarkable design all contribute to his ability to convincingly portray the everyman.
The Lobster Quiz
Rachel Weisz, who does not appear in the movie until a good portion of the way through, provides a monotone narration for “The Lobster.” The manner in which the narration is delivered is crucial: It is as if Weisz is reading a love poem that has been poorly translated into English by a child in the third grade. She sounds like a child who is attempting to speak in a way that she believes adults do. The term “deadpan” cannot be used in this context. The dialogue in “The Lobster” exposes the total absence of nuance and subtext in the characters’ communication. How is it possible to discuss feelings if one does not have an inner life? It might sound a little bit like the voiceover that Rachel Weisz did for “The Lobster.” It has a cumulative effect that is both devastating and comedic, and it is truly bizarre.
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The second half of the movie takes place in the forest that surrounds the facility. This forest is full of random animals that have recently been humanized, as well as a tough band of escaped “Loners,” and Léa Seydoux plays the role of the fierce leader of this band. Seydoux gives a performance that is both charismatic and terrifying, and it is reminiscent of the “children of Marx and Coca Cola” in the early work of Jean-Luc Godard, most notably Veronique, the heartless redheaded revolutionary in “La Chinoise.” The freedom that Seydoux stands for is as intoxicating and lethal as unadulterated oxygen. Kipling’s Cat, who “walked by himself… through the wet Wild Woods, waving his wild tail, and walking by his wild lone,” serves as an inspiration for her. On the other hand, in order for that kind of liberty to exist at all, there must be rules. There are a lot of rules.
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The sometimes pathological need that humans have for systems is a subject that interests Lanthimos, both in this film and in his other films. Why wait for a totalitarian government to institute rules from the top down when human beings will voluntarily submit to the atomization of every aspect of their lives all on their own? Where does that leave the individual if this so-called “need” is hardwired into the human race? A person who refuses to “go along” with the norm is labeled as a renegade or an outlaw and serves as an unwelcome reminder that the system is not effective for everyone.
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Lanthimos recognizes, and then relentlessly lampoons with surgical precision, the fact that society places a higher value on married couples than it does on individuals living alone. For someone who does not have a significant other, Valentine’s Day may feel like they are living in a one-party state that constantly broadcasts propaganda to the general population. A never-ending parade of relationship advice and inspirational examples of love triumphing can be found in every magazine, commercial, movie, and daytime talk show. Even the dropdown menu choices of “Mr.,” “Miss.,” and “Mrs.” require individuals to disclose whether or not they are in a committed relationship (although men are allowed to use the title “Mr.” regardless of whether or not they are single). It goes without saying that these minor annoyances experienced on a daily basis do not constitute “oppression;” however, because they are so pervasive, Lanthimos takes them to their logical extremes in order to illustrate his point. What about the option to “opt out” of everything? But look out, freedom-seekers: It is almost inevitable that sociopaths, like the one played by Léa Seydoux, will emerge whenever there is a power vacuum.
Despite Lea Seydoux’s excellent performance, the portion of “The Lobster” that takes place in the forest isn’t as effective as the part that takes place in the facility. Without the confines of the complex pressing in on the characters, the satire is left to drift aimlessly through the air, looking for the right place to set down its feet. The real target for Lanthimos is located inside of that facility. On the other hand, as “The Lobster” gets closer and closer to its end, it becomes abundantly clear that it intends to stay the course until the very end. Lanthimos will not give in to the pressure that his film has put on the world. The movie is a welcome breath of freezing cold, poisoned air in a world that is obsessed with happy endings and where platitudes such as “the right person is out there waiting for you” and “someday your Prince will come” are repeated as if they were Unquestioned Truths.
For more personality quizzes check this: Meet The Blacks Quiz.
