#TIFF15: “THE LOBSTER”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

The Lobster is straight-up the most absurd and bat-shit crazy Movie I have seen in a very long time. Right from the Film’s wordlessly strange opening, Co-Writer/Director Yorgos Lanthimos takes you on a relentlessly-unpredictable ride that is unlike anything you will ever expect. And I loved every minute of it.

In the near future, single people like David (Colin Farrell) are sent to a hotel to find a partner. They have 45-days to accomplish this task, or else they are turned into an animal. Lanthimos goes a little deeper with the rules and conditions, but suffice to say, his deadpan-satirical depiction and dissection of love and marriage is not going to sit well with everyone. But this shocking, wildly unique and preposterously hilarious film is easily one of the best of the year.

Farrell is at his hysterical best here, giving a real poignancy to David despite how ridiculous the Film around him becomes. Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Ben Whishaw, Léa Seydoux, Jessica Barden, Olivia Colman and just about everyone who inhabits the Wes Anderson-themed hotel from hell are all aces. Relative unknown Angeliki Papoulia (who starred in Lanthimos’ Films Alps and Dogtooth) is among the most memorable as a Heartless Woman who will make you laugh just as hard as she will repulse every fibre of your being.

The Lobster screens Friday September 11 at 3:00PM at Princess of Wales and Saturday September 12 at 4:45PM at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.