“The Lady, Or the Lobster?”: I review a brutal new romcom/satire

“The Lady, Or the Lobster?”: I review a brutal new romcom/satire May 31, 2016

seriously, this is tough to watch, but ferocious (also I sort of spoil the very end, because this otherwise-excellent movie has the one ending I hate most):

I hesitate to recommend that you see The Lobster, since this romantic comedy about a man facing transformation into an arthropod is just too painfully realistic.

The Lobster, written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, is brutal and hilarious, with satire so sharp it could cut your wrists. The movie is set in a world where anyone who hasn’t found a “partner” is turned into an animal. But you can choose which animal, so that’s comforting. A terrifying “hotel” has been set up to help singles find mates, but if you don’t find your match within forty-five days—start choosing scales or feathers.

Who counts as a partner? Marriage doesn’t seem to be a requirement, but romance, commitment, and sexual attraction are—a girl who comes to the hotel with her best friend is considered a “single.” No form of love other than romance is recognized by the police.

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