Amid trailers for Furious 18, Yet Another Remake of Iconic 80’s Pop Culture, the 7th book-to-movie adaptation of the year, and even video game based cinema, a shining light of originality has emerged. This work of genius is simply known as The Lobster. In the society of The Lobster it is illegal to be single. If you find yourself single under any circumstances (death of a partner, infidelity, etc.) then you have 40 days to find a new partner. This search is conducted under the supervision of the staff of a certain hotel—including a particularly meticulous hotel manager. The hotel has a very specific set of rules and regulations, supposedly to help individuals in the search for mates although they do not seem to be very helpful. If you fail to find a partner within the allotted time you are turned into an animal. Yes, an actual animal—like a dog or horse or even a lobster—which you get to choose. Oh, and one more thing. You and the person you end up with must share a “defining characteristic”. This is an extremely specific trait that you believe defines you, like a limp or near sidedness or a nice singing voice.
As soon as I saw the trailer I knew it was a must-see. It was like a breath of fresh air. The idea that a movie could even have an original concept anymore in this world of sequels and remakes and adaptations is remarkable in itself and this particular concept is enthralling in its uniqueness. The film is clearly a satire on societal views of singleness and relationships as well as modern dating but it seems to equally address all sides of the coin.
In this society, it is the people in relationships who are telling everyone else what it takes to be happy and fulfilled, that there is no way one can live a complete life without a life-partner. They even put an expiration date on people. There is a predetermined acceptable amount of time for someone to remain single without much consequence but only if they intend to leave their state of singleness at the end of it. If one remains single for too long, they become useless. Isn’t this how we treat our single people? They always have to be looking for “the one”. Even after a nasty break-up or even if one is widowed there comes a time when loved ones say “It’s time to get back up in the horse.”
What about the whole “defining characteristic” business? For me this was the epitome of modern dating. It seems like it is so important now to brand yourself and then promote that brand in order to be in a relationship. That brand is created and promoted by every social media post, every tweet, every Tinder profile bio. Those things become so integral to the way we attract and search for potential mates. We don’t even care about the other parts of ourselves or others; only the shallow, easily accessible traits that “make you you”. And what happens if we do change? Then we are at risk of losing our partners because the person you became was not the person they signed up for.
The Lobster also provides an interesting look at singleness from the perspective of single people. Without giving away too many spoilers, there are people in the movie called the “loners”. These are societal outcasts who have escaped to the woods because they cannot or will not find partners. Within the group of loners, it is forbidden to find a partner and if you do, there are grave consequences. I feel like this mindset translates to us in the fierceness with which single people seem to cling to their singleness and the singleness of those around them. It’s as if our singleness or our decision to remain single is only valid if our peers also remain single.
In either case—being a loner or finding a partner—one is asked to make a commitment. If you are a loner you must make a commitment to remain single, to be content in that and to never betray the brotherhood of single people by finding a partner. In finding a partner you are asked to make a different kind of commitment. You are committed to the relationship, certainly, but you are also committed to the person you were when you entered that relationship. You must not change or discover anything new about yourself. Otherwise you might find yourself in a rather unfortunate position. Neither of these structures allows for growth and I think that is the danger The Lobster is trying to shed light on.
As a very single person as well as a cinema junkie, I truly enjoyed this film and all of its quirky nuances. I was pleased with the message it sent about the ridiculousness of societal expectations of relationships but also the unexpected style of storytelling the film employs. I do recommend this film to people who aren’t afraid of the truly off-beat and are tired or the same-old same-old at the theater. Even if that isn’t you, maybe give it a shot to broaden your horizons.
