The Lobster · written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou · 2015

David struggles to manage toothpaste and brush his teeth while his hand remains cuffed behind him.

Scene 16 of 123 · ≈ 1 min on screen · First scene of act two

Act oneAct two

Begins 14 min into a 1:28 film

The story so farBefore scene 16

After his wife leaves him, David has 45 days to find a partner at a hotel or become an animal; he escapes, falls for a shortsighted loner, and must decide whether to surrender his sight so they can stay together.

Scenes 1–15
David moves from his broken home into the hotel, where couplehood is imposed as the norm.
Just before
Scene 13
David enters Room 101, finds the tranquilliser gun and darts, and surveys the room with Bob.
Scene 14
Biscuit Woman calls from Room 180 to invite David over; he politely ends the call and stares at the phone.
Scene 15
The Hotel Manager explains that David may become an animal, and he chooses a lobster before staff cuff his hand behind his back.
Scene 16
This scene

16INT. ROOM 101 - NIGHT

David has placed his toothbrush on the bathroom sink and tries to squeeze toothpaste onto it. He then tries to screw the plastic cap back onto the toothpaste tube, and fails over and over again. He finally brushes his teeth.