THE LOBSTER : Saturday 14th November 2015.

'THE LOBSTER', which I saw over the weekend, has received generally positive reviews although it is hailed as weird, surreal, and quite unlike anything before seen. And it certainly is that - bizarre is how I would describe it and I struggled to connect with this near future dystopian romantic comedy that in its latter half I felt my attention ebbing away as it seemed to be going around in circles before reaching its final destination - and when it does the ending comes very abruptly.

Made for just US$4.5M this film has so far grossed US$2.7M and is likely to find a select audience only of alternative art house types wanting to see this Written, Produced and Directed Film by Greek Yorgos Lanthimos in his English language debut. The film was shown at this years Cannes Film Festival where it took out the Jury Prize and it was shown in the Special Presentations section too and this years Toronto International Film Festival, and at the recent Adelaide Film Festival also.

Although we don't know when, 'The Lobster' is set in the very near future, and we open up with David (Colin Farrell) sat on the sofa at home being delivered the news by his wife in the background that their marriage of eleven or so years is over. A dog sits beside him at his feet. He seems accepting of this news, resigned to his fate, asks a few questions and the next day or so he boards a bus with his dog and a small suitcase in tow. He is taken to 'The Hotel' where he goes through a series of personal questions, bodily inspections, given a new set of clothes and a set of rules by which he must abide by in the time he is there. Escorted to his room overlooking a stretch of water David makes himself comfortable with his dog.

In this near future society those single individuals are rounded up and taken to The Hotel where they have 45 days in which to find a mate amongst the other occupants. If they do find a match this is celebrated and they then have a month in which to live together in another section to determine if they are truly compatible, and if so they are released back to 'The City'. If however, they are unsuccessful they are killed and reincarnated as an animal of their pre-determined choice and released into the nearby woods. David advises the Hotel Manager (Olivia Colman) that his choice is to become a lobster - because they can live for 100 years, continue to reproduce throughout their entire life, are sea dwelling blue bloods and therefore a little aristocratic, and live in the sea which he has an affinity with. The dog that has accompanied David we learn is his brother, who stayed in The Hotel previously and was unsuccessful in his attempt to find a match.

Early on over breakfast David meets up with The Lisping Man (John C. Reilly) and The Limping Man (Ben Whishaw) and the three form a bond. There are planned activities to keep the occupants of The Hotel amused which includes propaganda acted out on stage about the virtues of being a couple over being single in this new world order, simulated sexual arousal with a hotel maid because masturbation is strictly forbidden, and 'The Hunt' where occupants venture out in to the woods armed with tranquilliser guns to capture 'The Loners' - those who have escaped from The Hotel and seek a singular existence. Each Loner captured guarantees one extra day of human existence.

As time progresses The Limping Man matches up with The Nosebleed Woman, by faking his own nosebleeds to garner empathy and foster a connection. They get together and are determined a match and move out for the month to test their true compatibility. David meets up with The Heartless Woman - an ice maiden with zero personality, nerves of steel and needless to say seemingly no heart but a stellar track record at bringing in Loners, so much so that she has raked up 100+ bonus days at The Hotel. Through some of his own manipulation The Heartless Woman determines that they may be matched and so they are put to the test for a month. However, one morning when she awakens him with a bloodied leg she announces that she has kicked his dog to death in the bathroom. Realising they are not compatible, David overcomes her and secretly takes her to 'The Transformation Room' where he turns her into an animal, although what animal is not revealed. He then escapes into the woods and is taken in by The Loners.

The Loners here sleep in the undergrowth, forage for food, have their own set of rules by which they must abide and must remain hidden during The Hunt for fear of capture. The Loners are governed over by The Loner Leader (Lea Seydoux) and here David meets with The Shortsighted Woman (Rachel Weisz) with whom he strikes a connection being shortsighted himself, and The Loner Swimmer (Michael Smiley). From time to time there are covert missions back to The City where the four will go together undercover as couples eating in cafes, shopping for clothes and visiting the parents of The Loner Leader and talking over tea.  David and The Shortsighted Woman secretly enjoy these outings as it enables them to connect physically and be the couple they secretly long to be.

Things take a cruel twist for The Shortsighted Woman at the hands of The Loner Leader when their clandestine affair is revealed. This leaves David unsure of his feelings for her as her physical abilities now would make her so much more dependant upon on him and very difficult given their woodland existence. However, over time he warms to her once more and they hatch a plan to return to The City and live as the couple they long to be. Sat in a restaurant we see David take his leave to go to the restroom armed with a steak knife to inflict upon himself the same disability that The Shortsighted Woman now has, in order that they both can share a true connection again. And . . . fade to black, pause,and roll the credits!

This is a bizarre, weird, very alternative film that will not be for everyone. It explores the meaning of relationships, the need for acceptance and to conform, what is compatibility, and how fixated we are on being one half of a couple - casually, temporarily or permanently. The first half of the film is a lot more engaging than the second half which I thought meandered around without really going anywhere. There are some genuine laugh out loud moments in the film as well as some shocks and surprises, but equally there are some frustrations too where the scene is left hanging and you're left wondering - no more so than right at the end! Colin Farrell plays against type here and convincingly enough as the portly deadpan unassuming anti-hero having stacked on the kilos for his architect character thrown into a very different environment where relationships are a matter of life and death!

With six award wins already and another twelve nominations pending, this is a film to search out if your looking for an alternative, quirky, at times disturbing film that will make you reflect on what you know of our dating society, relationships, the meaning of love and how we view singles over couples.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-