A Satirical Critique of Relationships

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2018)

In a society where single people will be sent to a facility to be transformed into an animal unless they are able to find a mate within 45 days the stakes are high. Much higher than they would be if it were our society where people merely feel ostracized when they are incapable of fulfilling one of the most basic of human expectations.
Yes, 'The Lobster' serves as a satirical critique of relationships and social acceptance. When someone, is caught masturbating when he should be up and about searching for a woman he is punished. The audience can easily sympathize, for who hasn't felt a bit of guilt after a good old yanking session? There are other weird practices like a maid coming to give you slightest of sexual pleasures, just enough to leave you wanting more.
Another way this film criticizes relationships is the way many of its characters choose to pretend to have things in common, to base their relationship on a lie, rather than turning to the only other options which are to stay alone and either be turned into an animal or run off into the woods where the 'loners' retreat. The loners are as the name implies, alone. Not only that, but they live by rules equally as strict as those in the facility. Only here, no one is allowed to have a significant other.
There are clearly loners who want nothing more than to be with someone, but just like the outside world, they must follow the rules or risk the wrath other people will unleash upon them. However, there are those that will break these social contracts and strive for what they truly want.