I have about nine movies that I still need to review from SIFF, but I saw this film last night and have to review it before I forget anything about it. The Lobster is a sort of, kind of, maybe love tale that focuses on a man who must find a partner in a certain amount of time or else he will be turned into the animal of his choosing. Of course, the animal of his choosing ends up being a lobster. So thats a very brief synopsis of a film that is so odd, I cannot fully explain the whole synopsis because there are so many moving parts to this film.
Colin Farrell (In Bruges) stars as David, a man who is looking for a partner at a weird hotel resort. His character reminds me of a 13-year-old looking for his first date for a school dance. David just does not seem to understand the world and comes off as a model of immaturity. One of the genres that the film delves into is comedy and David's immaturity or misunderstanding of the world around him adds a lot of the comedic relief. Comedy legend John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Wreck-It Ralph) also has a vital part in this film as a lisping man. He seems to be utilizing his past experiences in Check it Out! with Dr. Steve Brule to really perfect this character. Other stars of this film include Rachel Weisz (The Mummy), Jessica Barden (Hanna), and Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Spectre, Cloud Atlas). Each cast member adds some sort of comedy to the tone of this film.
Let's talk a bit more about the tone of this film now since its really what creates the uniqueness. The Lobster is a dark drama comedy romance film that stands in its own genre. Director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) uses slow motion, dark musical themes, and a comedy script to create such an interesting view on what love could become in the future. Slow motion give us a close look at prolonged grotesque scenes that are so brutal I cringed and even turned away at times. To compliment the scenes there are classical melodies of a Beethoven caliber to add darkness and grandiose tones to the mix. But, the film uses all of these aspects to create comedy. Ask me how and I might have to answer that I honestly have no idea. Is it the script? Is it the sort of comedic brutality similar to Tarantino films? Or is it the overall message of the film? I'm not sure but I do know that it is unique and unlike anything I've seen ever. This is creativity brought to the next level!
The Bottom Line: This one is so grotesque you might be forced to look away at times, even as you laugh at this odd image of a dystopian future.
Score: 9.7/10 (I know this is the third film in a row I've given higher than a 9.5, but I swear they are all just so good!)
Image Credit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3464902/
Colin Farrell (In Bruges) stars as David, a man who is looking for a partner at a weird hotel resort. His character reminds me of a 13-year-old looking for his first date for a school dance. David just does not seem to understand the world and comes off as a model of immaturity. One of the genres that the film delves into is comedy and David's immaturity or misunderstanding of the world around him adds a lot of the comedic relief. Comedy legend John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Wreck-It Ralph) also has a vital part in this film as a lisping man. He seems to be utilizing his past experiences in Check it Out! with Dr. Steve Brule to really perfect this character. Other stars of this film include Rachel Weisz (The Mummy), Jessica Barden (Hanna), and Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Spectre, Cloud Atlas). Each cast member adds some sort of comedy to the tone of this film.
Let's talk a bit more about the tone of this film now since its really what creates the uniqueness. The Lobster is a dark drama comedy romance film that stands in its own genre. Director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) uses slow motion, dark musical themes, and a comedy script to create such an interesting view on what love could become in the future. Slow motion give us a close look at prolonged grotesque scenes that are so brutal I cringed and even turned away at times. To compliment the scenes there are classical melodies of a Beethoven caliber to add darkness and grandiose tones to the mix. But, the film uses all of these aspects to create comedy. Ask me how and I might have to answer that I honestly have no idea. Is it the script? Is it the sort of comedic brutality similar to Tarantino films? Or is it the overall message of the film? I'm not sure but I do know that it is unique and unlike anything I've seen ever. This is creativity brought to the next level!
The Bottom Line: This one is so grotesque you might be forced to look away at times, even as you laugh at this odd image of a dystopian future.
Score: 9.7/10 (I know this is the third film in a row I've given higher than a 9.5, but I swear they are all just so good!)
Image Credit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3464902/
