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

At the Loner Leader’s parents’ home, David and Shortsighted Woman kiss; the leader interrupts and demands they respect the performance.

Scene 97 of 123 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Loner Leader’S Father
Loner Swimmer
Loner Leader
Loner Leader’S Mother

Act oneAct two

Begins 1:10 into a 1:28 film

The story so farBefore scene 97

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.
Scenes 25–62
He participates in the hunt, attempts a false match, then escapes into the woods.
Scenes 63–84
He adapts to loner customs and cautiously begins a connection with Shortsighted Woman.
Just before
Scene 94
David accuses Rabbit Loner of hiding contact lenses, attacks him to inspect his eyes, then apologizes.
Scene 95
David and Shortsighted Woman synchronize two CD players and dance while the songs drift out of sync.
Scene 96
The narrator explains the handstand, head turns, and gestures the lovers use to speak privately among the loners.
Scene 97
This scene

97INT. LONER LEADER’S PARENTS’ HOUSE - MORNING

Loner Leader, Loner Swimmer (her supposed husband), her father and her mother, sit on the sofa. They all seem relaxed, they’ve been drinking and they’re enjoying the stories told by the elderly couple. David and Shortsighted Woman sit in a corner.

LONER LEADER’S FATHER

I met your mother when we were at

school. We were both top of the

class in music. I was a little

better than her on the guitar

because my fingers are longer and

stronger, which is very important

when playing chords. She was better

at singing. We began meeting to

study together. We became a couple

just a month before leaving school.

If we’d waited one more month, we’d

have been sent to the hotel. Can

you imagine?

LONER SWIMMER

Let’s not talk about unpleasant

things. I can’t wait for you both

to play us some music.

Loner Leader’s father begins to play the guitar. Her mother, sitting beside him, begins to sing. David kisses Shortsighted Woman on the hand. She begins to stroke his hair and then french kisses him for a long time. Loner Leader, annoyed, slaps them.

LONER LEADER

That’s enough. Show my parents some

respect, they’re playing you music.

LONER LEADER’S MOTHER

That’s okay.

LONER LEADER

No mother, it is not okay. Please,

continue.

LONER LEADER’S MOTHER

Do you want us to perform the same

song, or something else?

LONER LEADER

Something else.