‘The Lobster’: Get married or get out
The dystopian movie genre seems just about exhausted, but “The Lobster” brings enough new to the game to make it worth seeing.
The punishment is that they are changed into an animal of their choosing, and turned loose into nature.
People who run away from the program are hunted down with tranquilizer guns by the more cooperative types.
David chooses a lobster for his animal, in part because the creatures are long lived, and he is congratulated for this unusual choice (most people select dogs).
Farrell is outstanding, playing against type in conveying how David quashes any hint of individualism, and seems like the ideal “guest,” except for occasional moments when he seizes an advantage.
There’s abundant black comedy as David participates in the hotel’s coercive rituals, including meals and dances where everyone has a chance to find a mate.
[...] beneath all the grim humor, it’s clear that Lanthimos is disturbed at the loss of affect among the hotel’s residents — and, again, this theme relies heavily on Farrell’s performance.
The film falls off somewhat in the second half, when David flees the hotel to join a group of renegades — the ones hunted by the guests — living in the nearby woods.
The deadness of the emotional life in the hotel, with all its optimistic propaganda, is chilling, but life among the rebels is only marginally preferable, if at all.