While the new season of True Detective proved divisive for its fans, with some declaring the show past its prime and others praising the new depths of darkness and weird-dialogue-ness the show achieved in its second go, the general consensus was that star Colin Farrell’s performance was a high point. For his next onscreen appearance, Farrell went with something a little lighter but no less strange: The Lobster. With the trailer debuting online Thursday, director Yorgos Lanthimos has served up a sumptuous feast of gorgeous images and kookoo-bananas sci-fi concepts. The film won unilateral plaudits as well as the Jury Prize (that’s code for “third place”) at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it made its world premiere. But for those of us without the money or influence to go soak up movies in the south of France every May, The Lobster will hit theaters in the U.K. on October 16, with a North American run to follow shortly afterward.
In the film, Farrell stars as David, a regular guy looking for love. Except his search for a mate comes not from a yearning for affection, but a state mandate; in the world of The Lobster, the mysterious rulers of The City demand that all single folks convene at The Hotel for a forty-five day period during which they are required to land a mate. If they fail to win the romantic attentions of another guest, they’re promptly turned into animals and sent into The Woods. Dating, am I right?!
As Lanthimos’ first English-language feature (not to mention a stacked cast also containing John C. Reilly and Rachel Weisz), The Lobster will be a major arthouse cinema event this fall. For those who bristle at the prospect of capital-H Highbrow Entertainment, give the filmmaker’s breakout film Dogtooth (a one-time nominee for the Best Foreign Film Oscar) a shot on the various streaming platforms on which it’s readily available. Lanthimos has a knack for marrying black comedy, high-concept allegory, and sci-fi weirdness. This one’s sure to be a treat.
If you had to be trapped in the body of an animal as penance for choosing to remain single, which animal would you pick? I’d pick platypus! They seem neat. Weigh in below!
—
Image Credit: Canal+
