The Lobster tells of a society with strict rules and a man who must follow them or become an animal.
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I am not unfamiliar with movies that tell of a different future or a society where the rules are extremely strict. I enjoyed V for Vendetta, and my father had me watch with him movies like 1984 and THX 1187. All of these films take place in a time or place where the rules are extreme and absolute. The Lobster is similar to these classics but it has a few subtle differences. I was able to see this movie last week and here are my thoughts on it.
You can read the plot for The Lobster here:
“In a dystopian society, single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.”
I found The Lobster to be interesting and intriguing. The movie starts off kind of slow, and there are scenes that are not always clearly explained as they are happening sometimes until much later. This did cause some confusion for me and made me wonder how a few particular moments had anything to do with the story at all. It is a darker comedy and is one that tells of a society that is extreme in its rules and bending or breaking them can have dire consequences.
David (Colin Farrell) is a man who finds himself single after many years of marriage and unsure what to do next. By the rules of his society he has to find a mate or he will have to live out the rest of his life as an animal. He thinks he want to be a lobster if things don’t work out but hopes it doesn’t come to that. The film follows him in a strange building known only as the Hotel and his search for a mate. Along the way he makes some friends who are in the exact same position he is in. In this quest to find a mate decisions are made that will not only change his life but may help him find love after all in the most unlikely of places. It is a movie that is clever, sometimes twisted but with a good group of characters tells an amazing story. It will not be for everyone but some people will definitely enjoy it.
The Lobster gets 6/10. I did love the cast, they all work together and do a good job of bringing a difficult tale to life. The soundtrack is not bad, it has some good moments and others that are just odd and didn’t always make sense to me. There are scenes that are funny and yet others that go dark and twisted really fast. It is not always clear who the villains are or what roles they have to play but in the end thanks to a few nice twists create a pretty nice narrative. The ending doesn’t really make much sense and breaks away from the norm in ways I cannot get into, best to see it for yourself. You can learn more about this comedy on its website.
For those in the mood for a different kind of comedy they will want to see this one. Fans of some of the cast won’t want to miss out on the splendid performances that is some of their best work to date. Be warned though it is not a film for kids and has situations that some viewers will find too extreme for their tastes. The Lobster comes out today. Follow The Lobster on Facebook and Twitter.
Check out this The Lobster trailer below: