Leaden, juvenile and dreary nonsense

Rating: 4/10 (23 March 2016)

Is it a satire? Is it a drama? Is it a comedy? No, it's an earthbound turkey.
Yorgos Lanthimos appears to be a director in the mould of Roy Andersson, that is, somebody who has mistaken miserabilist absurdism for profundity and who literally projects it at us on the narcissistic assumption that we all think the same. Fortunately, most of us do not.
'The Lobster' is a failure for a number of reasons. First, a satire is supposed to point out the absurdity of a state of affairs by depicting it absurdly but recognisably. However, nowhere in this film, except towards the very end, is there a relationship that is at all recognisable, absurdly contorted or otherwise. If 'The Lobster' is a satire, it misses its mark because it's not clear at what mark it aims. Secondly, is it a comedy? If you conceive of a comedy as something that makes you laugh, chuckle, smile or even is a little amusing, 'The Lobster' is not a comedy. There is a complete dearth of humour in this film; black, dark, twisted, absurd or any other kind. Thirdly, is it a drama? Well maybe, in a thin, unsatisfying manner. Of course, this film has no substantial dénouement so I'd argue it's not a drama. 'The Lobster' has another debilitating flaw. It appears to be two films and it's hard to avoid the impression the second half has been tacked onto the first because the director and writers had little idea what to do with the original material.
So, what is 'The Lobster'? In passing, there is some decent cinematography and Ireland is made to look sternly beautiful on these occasions. However, above all what 'The Lobster' is, is absurd. Regrettably, this isn't the kind of absurdity that has something to say about the human condition. It's the kind of absurdity that is preposterous and uninteresting.
I think it's absurd this film was made. It appears to be the product of an immature mind with an inchoate understanding of human relationships. The result is dismally boring.