Review of The Lobster (2015) by Jonathan S — 30 Nov 2016

The Lobster gives us a world that is obsessed with coupling. Everyone must be coupled. Those found single, for whatever reason, are required to find a mate within a set period or they are turned into an animal of their choosing.

The matches must be compatible, meaning that each person must share a defining trait with their partner. If you walk with a limp, you better hope someone else who walks with a limp shows up or you are out of luck.

Same thing if you suffer spontaneous nose bleeds or have no empathy. It seems absurd, but in many ways, The Lobster is simply a caricature of the world we live in, where everyone is obsessed with relationships and desperately searching for their other half.

The Lobster takes this all to the extreme, where single people are only allowed to exist fleetingly. The few who have managed to escape becoming animals live within as many rules as those being forced to couple.

There is no middle ground. You either follow protocol or your best case scenario is to be turned into a goat. The Lobster has a dark sense of humour and the final moments dare you to look. It is a solid piece of social commentary that despite its absurd nature none the less manages to strike a very real chord and cause you to reexamine our obsession with soul mates.