THE LOBSTER
Ireland/Greece, 2015, 118 minutes, Colour.
Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly, Olivia Colman, Ariane Labed, Lea Seydoux.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
A number of people have described this film as “weird”. And they are not entirely wrong. But, it is an interesting kind of weird!
As we first look at the film, it does not look particularly weird at all. The director, Yorgos Lanthimos, famous for his weird film Dogtooth, is Greek, has filmed in Ireland and in English. The setting is woodland by a river, one of those old Greystone Irish buildings standing in for a hotel. So far, so arresting. But it is when we start to listen to the dialogue, that the weirdness begins to set in.
This is a somewhat future society, one of those dystopian societies, where this hotel has been set up and managed for single people to come and find a partner in life. But, they have 45 days to do this, otherwise they will be turned into an animal of their choice! The central character, David, has opted for becoming a lobster!
David is played by Colin Farrell, who has put on some weight for the part, is not as young and vigorous as he was in his early screen days, is rather reticent, even deadpan, shortsighted with his spectacles. His wife has left him. He is welcomed by the staff who have all been drilled in the ethos of the hotel, has to hand in all personal possessions including clothes and is supplied with clothes and shoes from the hotel. Is given a spacious room, but on the first night has an arm handcuffed to his back and has to manage nonetheless. Breakfast is announced, he goes to the dining room where he meets the Lisping Man (John C.Reilly) and the Limping Man (Ben Whishaw).
There is a narration by Rachel Weisz, explaining the characters and situations, and she will make a later appearance is one of the Loners out in the forest who will find a relationship with David. One of the exercises for all of the guests is to be issued with a rifle, dart guns in order to hunt down Loners in the woods. And so the days go, with lectures from the manager and roll plays to illustrate dangers in company, a dance, with introductions to various characters with descriptions rather than names, like the Biscuit-eating Woman or the Blood Nose Woman (who becomes a partner with The Limping man who engineers nosebleeds in order to relate to her).
David seems to manage at first, but then goes into the woods with the Loners, meeting the Short-sighted Woman and bonding with her, especially on a trip to the city, which seems rather normal except for the interrogating guards, with the help of the Leader of the Loners, Lea Seydoux.
The film goes on from there, the activities in the woods, the loners going on exercises like raiding one of the yachts where couples live, attacking the room of the manager of that hotel and her husband…
After some grim episodes, the film stops… Or rather leaves its narrative, its themes, its strange humour, its seriousness, for the audience to reflect on, wondering what has happened to human nature, what has happened to relationships and love, and what will be the consequences.
1. The title, audience expectations? Society? Characters?
2. The title, the explanation, characters turning into chosen animals? David’s choice? The work of the director, the singing strangeness of his films?
3. The Irish settings, the grand hotel, exteriors and interiors, the woods, the water, the shopping mall? The atmospheric score?
4. Dystopian society, ordinary-looking? The audience listening to the dialogue, descriptions of behaviour, the program and its call?
5. The voice-over, from the Short-sighted woman, to be seen later?
6. David, Colin Farrell, overweight, age, wearing glasses? Short-sighted? Arriving, enrolled, giving up his clothing, the substitute clothing, taking him to his room, handcuffed, awkward during the night, the announcement for breakfast, going down, meeting the two men, going for the walk and talking?
7. David and his manner of talking, less than emotional?
8. The hotel, the idea of 45 days to find a partner, the penalty, then turned into an animal of choice? The Limping Man and the story of his mother turning into a lion, his going to the zoo to identify her, the injury to his lake? The management, speeches, the small plays about safety and company, the dance and People’s performing, the manager and her partner and their song?
9. The Lisping Man, sexual preoccupations, masturbation, disobeying the rules? The Limping Man, his story, his attraction to the girl and the nose bleeding, his banging his head, the nosebleeds, confiding in David, getting a partner, on the boat, the child, the discussions – and David ultimately revealing the truth?
10. The Loners, out in the woods, the clients hunting, the rifles, the darts, the shooting, lining up the corpses?
11. The effect on David, his life, and his memories, of his wife, the companionship of his dog, the violence, his going into the woods?
12. The Loners, meeting the Short-sighted Woman, the bond between them, talking, sharing, emotions, a partnership, tentative at first? Sharing their stories of sight?
13. The Leader of the Loners, her role, leadership, the revolution, the attacks, David rowing the boat, the raid on the shot and the Limping Man, the raid on the manager and her partner, tying them up, the threats?
14. The leader taking them shopping, the shopping mall, seemingly normal, the security and questions?
15. The Short-sighted Woman, her being blinded, the reasons, the results?
16. David sharing with the woman, the dependence, heightened senses, mutual help?
17. David, in the mirror, self-blinding?
18. The end, the two together, what future?
19. The story as an allegory about the contemporary world, the nature of relationships, love, dependence?
