The Lobster

There is a very subtle genius at play here in the field of loner romance. A leading tug on your heart if you can enjoy the little things in this film. There is a husking of mediocre opinions on love, and a stumble through the bramble patch and horror of what we torment ourselves with in the name of love.

This is a completely underscored absurdist romantic comedy. It makes absolute no sense but is so underplayed it also makes perfect sense. Considering the story, it could've been completely off-the-wall bonkers, but instead gave the feeling of being smeared and oozed down the wall in the best possible way.

This is a like-it-or-hate-it kind of movie. As for me, I loved it. This is not a movie for those who are looking for fastpaced story-throwing that bombard the senses. The deliberate delays and slow storytelling coupled with awkwardness is darkly funny yet at the same time intensely thought-provoking. This is one of the true dystopian films and important movie to watch.

Sharing from my LetterBoxd review -

I wouldn't say I understand it, but I certainly enjoy Lanthimos' almost avante-garde approach to dialogue. Collin Farrell pulls it off.

The first act was hysterical. The duet between the hotel manager and the doctor during the ball/party event, while still sickly (does "humor with a limp" make sense?), was the lightest moment of humor in the film --- the picardy third at the end is enough to get any music major laughing.

John C. Reilly's hand-in-the-toaster punishment was striking in that such a moment of relative slapstick humor could have belonged to one of his more normal roles, like Step Brothers for instance; however, the director pulls it off in the style of the rest of the film.

Yes, the plot is deeply morbid, but the relationship between Colin Farrel's and Rachel Weisz's characters moved me deeply.

By the time the film reaches its shocking conclusion, you will likely be too numb to feel any pain from the lead character's decision in the closing moments . . .

Or maybe that's just me -- am I a psychopath?

I must admit that I barely ever heard the term "dystopian", or even knew what it meant, but after watching this film I sure as heck know now. The movie starts out mildly amusing, in a black humor sort of way, and just gets weirder, and weirder, and eventually so weird, I don't understand the ending, or even the purpose of the last half hour, or so. I guess I would have to say that overall, I did not like this film, although I did try to give it every chance to be entertaining, but it was ultimately very disturbing and terribly disappointing.

Utterly moronic. Wincingly earnest and stupid at the same time. Phony, arbitrary - built on one dimensional, sadomasochistic hierarchies usually reserved for the worst sci-fi. Internal logic? How the **** can an internal logic be the critique of an external reality, when the author presumes a fictional reality so stilted, laconic and one dimensional that it beggars belief? An utter misread of the culture he intends to critique. Lower production values and worse acting, and we might have been graced with another Plan 9. And beware of 'consciously' wooden writing and directing. It usually means the offending parties can neither write nor direct. A nominee for the Heaven's Gate of art films. What a stinker! Wow!

A dystopia where the most chilling aspects are the ones drawn from the most banal features of contemporary life--bland architecture, casual consumerism, rote relationships. Based on an absurd premise but true to its internal logic--relentlessly so. Not all the laugh lines land and it's hard to tell at times where satire ends and earnest sociopathy begins, but it's definitely an excellent first date litmus test that will provide ample fodder for after-movie conversation. Maybe it drags a bit in the middle but it's worth it for the many profoundly funny bits I won't spoil here. Not sure I'd re-watch any time soon but I'll be mulling over what I saw. Bizarre deadpan script, compelling performances, and beautifully shot.

I give it 4 out of 5 claws.

I recognize that this is supposed to be a social commentary of some kind and a parody, but it is a bad one, and not at all profound or intelligent. I started double-tabbing halfway through this unbelievably long film. There was not one laugh. It's sort of watered-down Lars Von Trier. For a better contemporary European comedy, try Number One Fan.