The Mind-Bending Twist of 'The Lobster' Unveiled!
In Yorgos Lanthimos' dark comedy The Lobster, set in a near-future dystopia where love is compulsory, the enigmatic ending leaves viewers pondering its deeper meaning
Highlights
"The Lobster" is a surreal dark comedy that explores human behavior and relationships, touching on topics like social pressure and conformity.
The film's satirical approach creates a universe that appears ludicrous and nonsensical, yet manages to be convincing to the viewers.
By incorporating an ambiguous conclusion, "The Lobster" encourages the audience to reflect upon the main character's destiny and the underlying messages of the film, thereby enhancing the profoundness of the entire viewing experience.
Yorgos Lanthimos is renowned for his unconventional narrative style. The Lobster, his debut English-language film, enabled the Greek director to reach a broader international audience. Released in 2015, this surreal dark comedy portrays a society where love is compulsory, and those unable to find a partner are transformed into animals. The protagonist's journey concludes with an enigmatic ending, leaving viewers with more queries than answers.
Featuring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in lead roles, with supporting performances by Olivia Colman, John C. Reilly, and Léa Seydoux, The Lobster provides a commentary on various aspects of human behavior and relationships. It delves into themes of societal pressure, conformity, loneliness, isolation, rebellion, and the essence of rules. Its satirical approach presents a world that appears absurd and irrational, yet believable enough for the audience to understand that this absurdity is the reality for the characters. While the film's conclusion may not align with traditional storytelling expectations, it perfectly aligns with the unconventional nature of The Lobster and the reality depicted by Lanthimos.
What Is The Lobster About?
In a dystopian society set in the near future, being single is strictly forbidden in The Lobster. Individuals who find themselves without a partner are sent to a hotel where they are given a 45-day ultimatum to find a romantic match. Failure to do so results in their transformation into the animal of their choice. We follow the protagonist, David (Colin Farrell), who has recently been abandoned by his wife for another man. Accompanied by his brother, who has been transformed into a dog, David enters the hotel with the intention of transforming himself into a lobster if he fails to find a partner.
The hotel guests tend to select partners who possess superficial similarities. Within the confines of the hotel, David and the other guests are compelled to participate in mandatory activities designed to facilitate partner-finding. These activities include hunting down "loners," individuals who defy society's norms and reside in the nearby woods. By using tranquilizer guns to incapacitate them, the hotel guests secure an extended stay in their quest for a suitable match.
As the days pass and David remains partnerless, he becomes entangled in a relationship with a callous woman devoid of emotion. Pretending to share her sadistic tendencies and lack of concern for others, David convinces her that they are compatible. However, his world shatters when he discovers that she has murdered his beloved brother. Overwhelmed by grief, David exposes the deceit at the core of their relationship. Seeking retribution, the woman attempts to inform the hotel management of David's deception in order to subject him to a punishment where he becomes "an undesirable animal." Fortunately, with the help of an undercover loner disguised as a maid, David manages to escape, leaving the fate of his former partner undisclosed.
David manages to flee from the confines of the hotel and finds solace among a group known as the loners, who have their own set of stringent rules where love is strictly forbidden. Despite his nearsightedness, David forms a clandestine bond with an unnamed Short-Sighted Woman (portrayed by Rachel Weisz), thanks to their shared visual impairment. The duo embarks on covert missions in the city, posing as a married couple, relishing the secrecy it entails. However, their plans to escape are foiled when one of the loner leaders uncovers David's intentions, resulting in a severe punishment inflicted upon the Short-Sighted Woman - total blindness.
How Does The Lobster End?
In their quest to find common ground, David and the now blind Short-Sighted Woman struggle to connect on any other aspect. Fleeing from the loners, they aim to integrate into society as a couple. However, societal rules dictate that matches must share a distinguishing trait, which worked well for David and his beloved when they both had visual impairments. But now that his partner has lost her sight, David has no option but to blind himself as well. With a steak knife in hand, he enters the bathroom, torn between his determination and moments of hesitation. Meanwhile, the woman patiently waits at the table, as the screen fades to black.
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The first and second acts of the film establish the world, its rules, and depict the protagonist breaking free from those rules. However, the ending remains ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation whether or not David blinds himself. Instead of providing a definite resolution, the ending possesses a philosophical quality. The Lobster is not solely a narrative about a dystopian world; it employs this dystopian setting to present David's dilemma and invites the audience to contemplate what they would do in his position. In a conventional society, David would have other choices, but the film deliberately discourages viewers from considering alternative options. Yorgos Lanthimos skillfully constructs this peculiar dystopian society where characters face the binary decision of finding love or transforming into an animal.
With its distinctive atmosphere, The Lobster is hailed as one of the greatest sci-fi comedy films ever made. Throughout the movie, the central question revolves around whether David can find love. As the story unfolds, he does succeed, but in order to sustain his relationship and conform to the stringent norms of his society, his only true option is self-inflicted harm. Unlike conventional narrative resolutions, philosophical endings encourage the audience to think independently and reflect on the outcome. The final shot of the film depicts the now-blind woman anxiously awaiting David's return. The prolonged duration of this shot builds tension and raises doubts about his potential return. The audience may even strain to hear or catch a glimpse of David in the background, either fleeing or in agony. Nevertheless, this does not materialize. Instead, David, like the audience, must make a choice and determine his destiny. Ultimately, The Lobster grants viewers the agency to shape the protagonist's fate within their minds, adding an additional layer to the film's thematic and philosophical essence.
