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

David replays Biscuit Woman’s final phone message, listening with visible regret as Bob wanders away.

Scene 51 of 123 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Machine)

Act oneAct two

Begins 40 min into a 1:28 film

The story so farBefore scene 51

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 48
David watches Limping Man and Nosebleed Woman say goodbye to a released pony, then ignores a call from Biscuit Woman.
Scene 49
David watches a couple play basketball as the narrator recounts how she escaped the hotel after killing two people.
Scene 50
Biscuit Woman lies injured after jumping; David hides his distress and pretends to be indifferent when Heartless Woman asks what happened.
Scene 51
This scene

51INT. ROOM 101 - AFTERNOON

David plays the message Biscuit Woman left on his answering machine before she committed suicide. The incident has obviously upset him. There’s a hint of regret in his face. The dog stands beside him, as if listening to the message too.

BISCUIT WOMAN (MESSAGE ON ANSWERING

MACHINE)

Hello. You’re probably in the

bathroom, that’s why you can’t

hear the phone ring. There’s

nothing better than a cold shower

in the morning.

(pause)

I’ll call again a little later when

you’ve finished your shower so we

can chat.

He pushes play to hear it again. The dog wanders off.