The movie Colin Farrell doesn’t understand, even though he was in it: “I couldn’t tell you”
There are endless interpretations of the work of Yorgos Lanthimos, with people launching online investigations into complex and dark thematic strands of his films and how the director has managed to evade therapy for his entire working life, with shocking scenes that expose a concerning side of his brain. Nevertheless, his films are enthralling and meaningful, with layers of commentary on the human condition, the exploitation of power and abuse, showing this through his typical deadpan dialogue and twisted humour. However, you’d perhaps expect his collaborators to have a deeper insight into the double meaning within his films, but in a recent interview, the star of his 2015 film The Lobster revealed that he also has no idea what is going on.
The Lobster is set in a near dystopian future where single people are exiled to a hotel and forced to find love, and if they don’t, they will be turned into an animal. The film is in many ways a satire of the didactic rules and expectations that rule our world that only restrict us and strip us of our authenticity, mocking the societal pressure we feel to adhere to certain goals and traditions that ultimately don’t serve us.
However, are there are definitely other strands and ideas in the work that are more ambiguous, such as the ending in which the audience is left unsure if Colin Farrel’s character is going to blind himself in order to connect with his new partner.
When the actor was asked about his interpretation of this scene, he said, “I couldn’t tell you. The writer and director can’t tell even you — and it’s not because we’re holding the answer close to our chests, but because there is no answer. In the film, there is no before; there is no after.”
Despite wanting to maintain the secrets and open-ended conversations around the work, Farrell expanded on this by presenting his own theory, saying, “Honest to God, part of me thinks he does it. Then part of me thinks that when the camera cuts back to Rachel Weisz, I’m already in a f—ing Uber. And part of me goes to the third option. … That he doesn’t do it, but he goes back to her and tells her that he did. There are so many different options.”
The beauty of Lanthimos’ work is in its divisiveness and ability to spark conversations, with film lovers and critics discussing the many nuances of his sometimes controversial stories. After the release of his 2023 film Poor Things, many debated the purpose and intent behind the story, with some questioning the use of taboo subject matter to convey his point. In the press junket interviews, the cast were quick to defend this criticism and encouraged audiences to maintain an open mind when watching it, which is perhaps the only way to truly enjoy the weird and challenging work of Lanthimos.
Perhaps if the cast themselves cannot elaborate on their perception of the stories, then they are not meant to have clear answers, and the joy in watching them comes from the questions that arise.
