Bizarre but overcooked.

Rating: 8/10 (21 September 2016)

The Lobster (2015): Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos / Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Jessica Barden, Lea Seydoux: Strange science fiction comedy with a dark side. Colin Farrell stars as David who arrives at a strange hotel that deals with relationships in such a method that transforms guests into animals if they fail to find a partner within a set time. This is an amusing concept with images of exotic animals wandering about. He forms acquaintances with an insecure lisping man, played by John C. Reilly whose punishment for masturbating is having his hand burned in a toaster. David eventually attempts to cheat the system by pairing up with a heartless woman who ends up killing his dog. Jessica Barden plays a woman who has multiple nosebleeds and whose partner fakes nosebleeds to avoid animal transformation. David flees the hotel and encounters a group of loners in the forest whose rules forbid romantic relationship. Lea Seydoux plays the cold stare leader who demands that everyone dig their own graves. Rachel Weisz plays a short sighted woman whose relationship with David becomes hidden under gestures and signals. This leads to extreme consequences that involve her losing her sight. The ending is complicating and somewhat squeamish given the possible resolution to matching conditions. Nevertheless its theme of forceful relationships and social status is given a bizarre examination. Score: 8 / Writing: 66% / Themes: 66% / Acting: 100% / Directing: 100% / Visual: 100%