Crustacean Nation

Colin Farrell better learn to love, lest he be transformed into a lobster

From time to time in cinema, the aspirations and ideas for a story can sound absolutely incredible, but the ultimate payoff winds up falling short. Director/writer Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) has fallen prey to just that with his new film, The Lobster, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz.

Farrell plays David, a newly single man who lives in a sort of dystopia wherein those without a partner are sent to a purgatorial hotel and given a month and a half to find a mate, or they'll be turned into the animal of their choosing. David wishes to be a lobster, as "they live to be over a hundred years old." It's an interesting take on societal pressures that dictate we must be paired off if we ever wish to be truly happy, and Weisz, who assumes the role of disembodied narrator for nearly two-thirds of the film, echoes the frustrating weirdness of the setup in a way that suggests she might be David's conscience (if only he had one). Of course, that's part of the bum deal humanity has received in The Lobster, and daily hunting for those who shirk the idea that partnership-equals-good (known here as "loners") consistently keeps everyone on edge; there is no hope for trust between anyone.

The grim acceptance displayed by the tenants of the hotel is also interesting; we know as well as they do that this is just how it goes in their world, and even as they weather suicide attempts and panic-stricken efforts at partnering up, many of them behave as if it's the only reality they've ever known.

It's a good start, and an almost nihilism-lite version of the absurdist comedies of Wes Anderson. In fact, anyone who has seen The Grand Budapest Hotel will find a twisted familiarity to the halls and grounds of the sprawling country estate, but whereas Anderson knows how to create consistent characters who we still root for, even at their most obnoxious, The Lobster strays too far into dark comedy's uncomfortable moments rather than those that are so bad they're good. And then, just when we have acclimated to the idea of this bizarre arrangement, everything changes, and we practically jump into another movie altogether.

Now, this could simply be Lanthimos' way to accentuate how jarring transitional life phases can be, but it feels more like a whole new film. The idea of transmogrifying into beasts is abandoned, even if we do still see an out-of-place camel or hulking truffle hog traipsing around in the background. Suddenly, we lose whatever moral The Lobster was conveying about love or choice or trust, and the final act settles into that comfortable old story about the lengths to which people will go for love, although admittedly David is willing to go extra-far.

Farrell is excellent, however, even if the other characters have a problem with all being written the same and not being explored to any meaningful depth. John C Reilly may as well have not even been in the thing, and Weisz' role as love interest lacks any real chemistry. It's a bit odd at first to hear how everyone speaks in the same stilted manner, but the more we observe the performances, the more it seems the characters have stripped down to basic human motivators, like sex and fear, and that is at least a worthwhile attempt at examining mankind on a less romantic level.

Regardless, The Lobster is worth at least one screening if for no other reason than it's not quite like most films you've ever seen. Lanthimos has absolutely borrowed here and there, but when it comes to the story itself, he's achieved a dark, almost fairy tale-like concept that'll really make you think.

The Lobster
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
With Farrell, Weisz, Reilly
DeVargas R,
119 min.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.