“The Lobster”
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

“The Lobster” is a surrealistic view of love, loss and loneliness. It’s also an editorial on what it means to be an adult who commits the crime of remaining single in a modern culture. It is also one of the strangest films I have ever seen.

I’d love to setup the plot for you, but I think this should not be so much described as seen, since even this is as open to interpretation as the rest of the film. I will say, that as dystopian societies go, the world of “The Lobster” is maybe the most bizarre I’ve ever seen. And director, Lanthimos, utterly COMMITS to his choices. Each scene solidifies our impression of this world – more and more outrageous with each scene…in the look, dialogue, and setting. And not in a Wes Anderson sort of way…no, it’s MUCH more disturbing than that…yet funny. Really funny. Oh, and there is a sight gag in the second act that is almost as bizarre as anything you might see in Spike Jonze’ “Being John Malkovich”.

Farrell continues to become a shining indie performer, and he’s mesmerizing here. Showing almost no emotion on his face, he still manages to fill YOU with emotion throughout. Rachel Weisz, is, as ever, brilliant. And all apologies to Lea Seydoux, whose performance in the last Bond film I eviscerated. She’s pitch perfect here. And I would watch Olivia Colman read the phone book. There are really no weak performances, since most of the characters are brush strokes to color in this world.

It’s at least fifteen minutes too long (although I couldn’t say where I would snip), but it’s just funny enough, interesting enough and well acted enough to see…assuming you’re open to the really, REALLY bizarro. As a single man in his fifties, I was greatly affected by much of the film in a very serious manner, and yet was not alone in laughing out loud throughout.

But I feel it important to mention that, as the lights came up, a twenty-something woman said to her compatriot…”that was…uh…uh… So no more art films, okay?!”

Proof that your interpretation of the film will vary wildly from anyone else’s. Mine included.

Written on 5/20/2016