So, I watched The Lobster, the most recent film by Yorgos Lanthimos the Greek creator of the much controversial - yet undenyingly unique - Dogtooth (2009) and it was really interesting.
For those who do not know a lot about this peculiar creator, let me get you up to date. The first feature film by Yorgos Lanthimos was a great success with critics and cinephiles around the globe despite its quite sick and unusual subject. It told the story of a strange family whose over-protective father keeps everyone locked up in a house and makes them follow some specific rules that seem quite peculiar to outside observers. The kids of the family grow up believing in unusual things such as that cats are evil creatures that should be killed, or that in order to leave the house one has to have their dogtooth fallen out. Due to its uniqueness, however, the film managed to be singled out and it won a lot of awards, including the Un Certain Régard at the Cannes Festival of 2009. It was even nominated for an Oscar Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
After a less successful effort with Alps (2011), Lanthimos returned this year with The Lobster, his first english-spoken feature film that was once again able to shine at this year's Cannes Festival where it won the Jury Prize and the Palm Dog. Also, at the European Film Awards it won for Best European Screenwriter.
This time, his star is David (Colin Farrell), a man who lives in a quite surreal society where being single is not only frowned upon but outright illegal. This is why, whoever is single, has to live in a sort of "mating" hotel for 45 days and in this period of time they have to find someone to spend their life with. If one does not succeed, is then transformed into an animal of his/her choice and is sent to the Woods. Sounds crazy? Well, it is.
Our protagonist chooses to be transformed into a lobster in case he is unsuccessful in finding the woman who will accompany him for the rest of his life because lobsters live for a long time, they have blue blood like aristocrats, they stay fertile for almost all their lives and they live next to the sea, something that David loves very much.
The film follows David as he tries to find someone with whom he can match. During his stay at the Hotel, he has to attend balls and strange presentations which highlight the importance of companionship in comparison to the attrocity that single life can be. The residents are also given shotguns and are taken to the Woods to hunt people who live as rebels and are against the society's rules. The more rebels one catches, the more days are added to their stay at the Hotel.
The Lobster is a peculiar little film that could even be characterised as a surreal romantic comedy. It surely has moments that leave you with your mouth open and it is so unique and strange that manages to stay with you for a long time after watching it. It is not as shocking as Dogtooth - and thank God for that, if you ask me- and it is far more entertaining. The cinematography by Thimios Bakataris is trully wonderful and the all-star cast achieves to portray this ridiculous society flawlessly. This is a film that any film lover should not miss.
The cast includes Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Ben Whishaw and Léa Seydoux.
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