Official promotional poster. Rights belong to the respective rights holders.
Read the film reference Availability and pricing vary by region.The LobsterA movie brief.
2015 / black comedy / Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Love is a strange and cruel game.
What is The Lobster about?
In a dystopian hotel, single people must find a partner within 45 days or be turned into an animal. A man named David navigates this bizarre world, searching for love and survival.
Five things to know.
Setup
The film takes place in a hotel where single people are forced to find a romantic partner within a limited time frame.
World
The hotel has strict rules and rituals, including mandatory masturbation sessions with the hotel maid.
Pressure
Guests can extend their deadline by hunting and tranquilizing single people who live in the forest.
Craft
The film features a unique blend of absurdist humor and satire, with a standout performance from Colin Farrell.
Viewing Note
Viewers should be prepared for a slow-burning, offbeat narrative that challenges traditional romantic comedy conventions.
A thought to take with you.
The hotel turns coupling into a deadline enforced by the threat of transformation, while the forest offers a different set of rules against intimacy. David's choices expose how both systems make private desire subject to group discipline.
Is it your kind of movie?
Choose it for a deadpan, unsettling absurdist comedy about relationships and social rules. Its premise includes coercion and dark humor rather than conventional romance.
Sources & scope
This AI-assisted brief is based on the linked secondary reference. Facts and interpretation are separated; it does not claim personal viewing or independent expert review.
Source details checked October 2, 2026. Suggest a correction · Our editorial approach