The Lobster (2015)
- During the filming of The Lobster, Colin Farrell improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
- Yorgos Lanthimos originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Yorgos Lanthimos's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
The Lobster is a 2015 absurdist dystopian black comedy directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Colin Farrell stars as David, a recently single man living in a near-future society where single people are arrested, sent to a hotel, and given 45 days to find a romantic partner. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing โ David has chosen a lobster because they live for over 100 years and remain fertile throughout their lives.
The hotel's inmates engage in increasingly desperate and dishonest attempts to couple based on superficial shared traits (both have nosebleeds, both are near-sighted), while those who escape into the surrounding forest join a resistance movement of "Loners" led by Lรฉa Seydoux, where romantic relationships are forbidden. Yorgos Lanthimos directed the entire film in his signature deadpan style โ actors delivered dialogue in flat, affectless monotones while committing horrifying acts of cruelty and submission โ creating a world that was simultaneously absurd and terrifyingly recognizable as a commentary on modern dating, societal pressure to couple, and the arbitrary rules people follow to avoid loneliness. The Lobster won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and earned $18 million worldwide on a $4 million budget.
