There are movies that come along that are near impossible to try and describe. These often end up being some of the best films out there, but the unique nature of them often fail to be able to really get that across with the trailer. The latest film that falls into that category is The Lobster starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Wishaw, and John C. Reilly, but can it not only deliver the film the trailer promises and more or will it be thrown out into the woods and be forgotten?

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The Lobster follows a dystopian near future where single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods. If you can’t tell from the premise this is a strange movie, but it is way more bizarre than you might think in the most brilliant way possible. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a beautiful film both visually and in story wrapped up in a strange look at humanity as a whole. There is nothing overly shoved down your throat, but the behaviors of the people along with the laws and expectations of society tell a deeper story than some might actually see. The entire cast does an excellent job with Colin Farrell delivering one of his best performances to date bringing a subtle mentality filled with emotions in a unique way. His performance carries the film to perfection with little nuances that are both funny and heartfelt throughout. The story is really, really strange and add to the mix the bizarre behavior of everyone in the film it is unlike anything you have likely seen. There are directions that are unexpected that keeps you wondering what they will be doing around the next corner constantly. There is nothing here that is really predictable or clichéd because it is so far out there most of the time that there is no foreseen direction it could go.

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While the film as a whole works to perfection the first half of the film is easily the most enjoyable and strange. As we meet the varying characters in the hotel and see them interact with each other and trying to follow the rules of the hotel offers up some of the best moments of the entire film. The lack of emotions with everyone involved and the straight forward and blunt reactions to all the strange things happening makes you both confused and accepting to the world you are witnessing. There is a background component when they are in the woods involving varying animals that works into the bigger story and will no doubt make viewers laugh every time. It’s these little things that are going on around this strange story coupled with the great performances that doubles as a look into society and a love story that makes it all the better than it might have been otherwise.

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In the end this film will not work for some unless you are willing to just let go and invest in the weirdness of it all. On paper there is no reason this film should work in anyway, but it manages to be a perfect blend of the bizarre and excellent filmmaking to create something truly original. In a world filled where everyone complains about all the sequels and remakes this is a film that stands on its own to bring a new idea to the screen and one that will either work and you will see its brilliance or be too bizarre, but either way you cannot deny its originality and it being well made.