Finding a partner in 45 days or being condemned to spend life as an animal is the disturbing premise of The Lobster, a Yorgos Lanthimos’s 2015 movie which is guaranteed to give you second-hand dating fatigue.
Starring Olivia Colman alongside protagonists Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, the acclaimed dark comedy is now streaming for free in the UK – and would make an excellent movie night regardless of your relationship status.
Co-written by Lanthimos and frequent collaborator Efthimis Filippou – both were nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars – the film follows David (Farrell), a man who checks into a hotel where all guests must find a partner in no longer than a month and a half. If they fail to find a connection, they will be transformed into an animal of their choice.
Film4
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Running the hotel is a stern manager played by Colman, while Weisz narrates the film and stars as a “loner” who embarks on a prohibited romance with David.
The Lobster is Lanthimos’ first English-language film and marked his first collaboration with Colman and Weisz, who would reunite on his 2018’s Oscar-nominated movie The Favourite. Lanthimos and Farrell would also work together again following The Lobster, with the Irish star appearing in The Killing of a Sacred Deer in 2017.
Who stars in The Lobster?
Here is The Lobster’s full cast list:
• Colin Farrell as David
• Rachel Weisz as Short-sighted Woman and the Narrator
• Léa Seydoux as Loner Leader
• Ariane Labed as The Maid
• Ben Whishaw as John, Limping Man
• Angeliki Papoulia as Heartless Woman
• John C Reilly as Robert, Lisping Man
• Jessica Barden as Nosebleed Woman
• Olivia Colman as Hotel Manager
• Stavroula Karalidou as Bob the Dog
• Ashley Jensen as Biscuit Woman
• Michael Smiley as Loner Swimmer
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Doctor
• Seán Duggan as Guard Waiter
• Ewen MacIntosh as Hotel Guard
What did critics say about The Lobster?
Film4
Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2015, The Lobster earned rave reviews from critics and currently holds a Certified Fresh badge on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive score of 87% – a tie with Lanthimos’ latest, Bugonia.
The Lobster has been described as “unlike any movie you’ve ever seen” (via Arizona Republic) and a “bitter and ruthless” film that confirms Lanthimos’ “deadly” aim (via RogerEbert.com).
Elsewhere, Globe and Mail called it “a brilliant piece of satire” though it argued the film “fails” when veering into a “more conventional romance”.
Salon.com branded the movie an “unsettling tour de force” exploring the implications of connecting dignity to coupledom.
Where can I watch The Lobster? 
A24
If the bleak tenet of Lanthimos’ film hasn’t put you off, you can watch it for free on Channel 4’s own streaming platform, where it was added after airing on Film4 last night.
The Lobster is also available to rent and buy from a number of digital retailers in the UK.
Other Olivia Colman films you can stream right now
Fox
In need of another Colman fix after watching The Lobster? We’ve got you covered.
The star’s Oscar-winning performance in Lanthimos’ The Favourite is available to stream on Disney+ in the UK. On the same platform is also Colman and Cumberbatch’s divorce comedy The Roses, which is based on 1981 novel The War of the Roses and was first adapted in the 1989 movie of the same name.
On Netflix you can find Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut The Lost Daughter, starring Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson and Paul Mescal.
The Lobster is streaming on Channel 4.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).