THE LOBSTER Special Screenings

A man is brought to a picturesque seaside resort because his wife has recently left him. If he is not romantically recoupled within 45 days, he will turn into an animal.  And so director Yorgos Lanthimos smashes his audience into the strange reality of THE LOBSTER. As in his previous two features, DOGTOOTH and ALPS (AFI FEST 2012), Lanthimos uses the nature of cinematic framing to create a unique filmic space, slightly removed from the world we know.  In this film, he takes things one step farther, and to great effect, with an absurdist science-fictional premise. What results is an incisive, trenchant exploration into the nature of society, rebellion, repression, relationships and restriction. The film has plenty to say about the illusory nature of romance and the thin veneer of civilization, with caustically funny performances from John C. Reilly, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux and many others. But it truly hangs on the deadpan, pitch-perfect performance from Colin Farrell as the title character. Through his shlubby desperation, he serves as both the audience’s surrogate and fractured mirror. –Lane Kneedler