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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATE: Arrest made in dog-mauling case ... Expo will host major country music festival in 2017 ... Trail man jailed after toddler struck by car ... UPDATE: Arrest made in dog-mauling case ... Expo will host major country music festival in 2017 ... Trail man jailed after toddler struck by car ... MOVIE REVIEW 'The Lobster' is challenging to watch, but worth it Comment By Chris Honoré for Revels MailTribune.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Jun. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Jun. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The Lobster ; 118min; Rated R Regarding the recently released film, “The Lobster,” the first question that comes to mind is: how courageous are you, the filmgoer, in the films you are prepared to watch? How narrow or broad is your spectrum. Or, put another way — how rigid are your expectations regarding how a narrative is constructed? Most films are structured to tell a story with an inherent arc — a beginning, a middle and an end. And most, no matter the subject matter, are usually very traditional, meaning the characters and plots are recognizable. Whether that story resonates with the audience or not will always comprise elements of a gamble made by the filmmakers. “The Lobster” offers up very little that is familiar. It is a dystopian construct, a society that is committed to coupling. If an individual is, for a myriad of reasons, uncoupled, he or she is bused off to a singles hotel where each is told that they must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal of their choice (I know, but bear with me). In the opening scenes, a thirty-something architect, David (Colin Farrell), is cuckolded by his wife and abruptly finds he is once again single. Which is against society’s norms and laws, hence David ends up on a bus and on his way to The Hotel; he’s there to find someone. Quickly. In the event David is not successful, he has chosen as his animal the lobster. He likes the ocean. The film is strange, droll, and clinically flat, all affect drained out of the characters. There may come a moment in act one where the thought occurs to simply leave. Or in act two; perhaps even three. Don’t. Know that this is not a film intent on telling an appealing or captivating story, though it could be considered, using the most obscure definition, a love story. But what “The Lobster” is, is an attempt to challenge a fundamental cornerstone assumption of most societies (certainly America): to go through life alone, permanently uncoupled, is to confront an abiding isolation and loneliness. Finding that special someone is life’s mission, and it is the antidote to waking in the dead of night, calling out and hearing only silence. Our values, our messaging, all tell us to find someone. Look at the countless dating apps, at television shows such as “The Bachelorette,” the ubiquitous rom-com movies. Consider all the complex rituals and ceremonies that circle dating, all predicated on finding someone. And, of course, this process is reinforced by our belief in romance, in chemistry, in that magical if nebulous feeling called “love.” Such as it is. It’s not the most reliable method — in fact, it’s demonstrably unreliable. But still … Everyone will be, at some point, single. But the currents all flow toward pairing up with someone. Even our laws favor the coupled. Essentially, director/writer Yorgos Lanthimos creates a film that is more thesis than entertainment, one that challenges our widely held opinion. Is Lanthimos’ film a parody? Indeed. A satire? Yes. Is it absurd and does it reside at the other end of the spectrum from those typically dreamy stories of romance? Of course. “The Lobster” is surreal, chilly in the extreme, aiming not at resonance but something beyond. It’s also a hard nudge toward challenging our assumptions about how life should be lived. As an aside, 20 some minutes into the film, a couple sitting two rows in front of me got up and left. I completely understood their decision. But upon reflection, I think they missed an opportunity to have viewed a film that was quietly provocative and worth not only thinking about but discussing. So, as I asked above: how courageous are you regarding films that may not don’t meet your initial expectations? Or is “The Lobster” so far over-the-top that it fails to find any sweet spot regarding the audience? By Chris Honoré for Revels MailTribune.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Jun. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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