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

David shoots repeatedly at a loner but misses, runs out of darts, and stops on a rock.

Scene 31 of 123 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Act oneAct two

Begins 22 min into a 1:28 film

The story so farBefore scene 31

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.
Scenes 16–24
He must find a partner before the 45-day limit turns him into an animal.
Scene 25
David loads a tranquilliser gun and joins the hotel’s hunt, entering its violent courtship system.
Just before
Scene 28
Limping Man tries to climb rocks during the hunt but cannot manage it.
Scene 29
Heartless Woman chases down a young loner, beats her unconscious, and shoots her with a tranquilliser gun.
Scene 30
Two hotel guests argue and hit each other while trying to claim one unconscious loner.
Scene 31
This scene

31EXT. THE WOODS - EVENING

David spots a LONER MAN in the distance trying to hide. He takes aim with his gun, shoots and misses. The Loner Man notices him and starts to run. David starts shooting over and over again. He misses and runs after him. After a while David stops, out of breath. He realises he’s also out of tranquilliser darts. He sits on a rock. He looks at his watch.