Emotive and conceptually engaging. MUST SEE...

Rating: 9/10 (19 October 2015)

Being a Yorgos Lanthimos virgin, I was attracted to the title by its quirky premise and interesting cast list. I approached with cautious optimism, hoping to find a gem at the very least. What I found instead was a cinematic treasure trove.
The Lobster follows David (Colin Farrel) in a society where it is unacceptable to be single. When David's wife leaves him he is sent to The Hotel where he has 45 days to find a partner. If he finds one - awesome. If he fails, he will be turned into an animal. Of his choice, naturally.
It's stylish, it's got technique, it's disorienting (in a good way), it asks questions about us and doesn't really care about hearing our answers. It instills within you the great sense of uneasiness that the characters must feel in this collection of increasingly odd situations through stilted, brutally frank dialogue in a masterclass of a script. The performances, also, are stunning. I was pleasantly surprised by Rachel Weisz in her subtly moving role as the Short Sighted Woman.
Having watched it no more than five hours ago, I find myself recalling it as if it was a dream. The carefully considered combination of editing and cinematography gives the feature that lifted, slightly angled and unaligned feel. Its world presents itself to you in a disembodied kind of way and, in the way you may leave your bed after a dream, you will leave the cinema questioning everything about it.
I can honestly say The Lobster has entered the ranks of my favourite films. Go and catch this while it's still in cinemas - the critically thirsty mind will not remain unquenched.