The Meaning Behind Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Lobster (2015)

Minor-Spoilers for the Meaning Behind The Lobster (Not Necessarily What Happens) 

There’s nothing out there quite like The Lobster. Yorgos Lanthimos has invented something harshly relevant to a society eminently apparent of now and till the future. I abhor the fact that a majority of audiences unquestionably missed the mark on what this movie meant. To me, not only is Lanthimos take on society’s perception of love darkly and satirically delightful to watch, but also, culturally relevant to what today’s standards in terms of building a relationship are. 

This is How I Perceive the 1st Half: With the uprise of social media—an undoubtedly other circumstances—love and romance have been in demand at higher levels than it has ever been. Marriage has been worshiped as such a “positive” norm in society, that people continuously are feeling more and more pressured into finding a partner, no matter the odds. Socialization has caused us to become ignorant of love’s meaning/ purpose, and more focused on the selfish endeavor of finding a way to fit into our now devious world through progressive appearances. 

This is How I Perceive the 2nd Half: “Specific” societies often deny people who have “taboo” (according to their norms) relationships from continuing their accords by punishing them through severe practices, simply because “taboo” occurrences don’t follow their general beliefs. There are countless examples of what is considered a “taboo” form of love within many societies (different sexualities, different nationalities, different personalities, different social statuses, etcetera). Adversaries are always trying to shut you down when the one good thing in your life finally comes into play—relatable. I’m assuming Lanthimos is modestly saying, “Hey, people need to mind their own freakin’ business and let folks love who they want to love. As long as it’s real, who gives a damn.”

This is How I Perceive the Ending: “Oh, the crazy things people will do when they’re in love.”

So…yeah. The Lobster is probably the most informal love aphorism of the 21st Century. Go figure. 

Yorgos has the most f***** up vision in Hollywood right now, but that’s exactly why we need him. This wickedness he constantly froths into his filmography is awfully necessary in order to get timely, critical, and imperative messages—like this—out into such a flawed province (society). The more I watch The Lobster the more poetic, shocking, outlandish, traumatic, disturbing, sinister, and umm…funnier it becomes. Don’t be ignorant fellas, please, look at this film as a MOMENTOUS learning lesson. Embrace the eccentricity, as they say. Verdict Change: (A- —> A) 

The Lobster is essentially living proof that pure creativity is not yet dead in cinema. 

I envy how there’s always random different types of animals sprinkled throughout the forest in The Lobster. It’s a little detail I spotted out that makes me appreciate the movie’s attention to detail even more.