If the question means what is love built on, then a multitude of answers apply. Mutual trust, company, passion, sex, the right timing, monetary investment, guilt. The list goes on.
But if you strip down a relationship, what is the one thing that can cause everything to crumble down if it was taken away?
Let's consider commonality.
Yorgos Lanthimos' feature film "The Lobster" explores a world in which commonality is the only thing that matters in a relationship.
The story of David, starred by Colin Farrell, does not seem to be portrayed as an evolutionary result of the future. The tone of the film is so close to reality that it constantly challenges the audience to discern what is fiction and what is not.
There are no futuristic buildings or creepy robots. You need food and water to survive. You can order pancakes from a diner. You drive to a mall to buy stuff. You will bleed if you get hurt. Everything is just like how it is now, except you cannot be "single".
You must have a partner, otherwise you will be changed into an animal of your choice.
To implement this, or rather, to eliminate singleness effectively, all single persons would be admitted to a hotel for a process we might have given the name "speed dating". "Couples" get paired up if they can agree on one commonality. Children could be assigned to them if problems arise thereafter.
Back to David, the main character. So as all main characters are usually, they stand out. So yes, he finds love. He is capable of feeling the desire to get intimate with another person. His romance is almost lyrical in a cold and selfish world.
Oops, the truth is cruel. The director tricked us into believing David to be unique, to be heroic.
This is not an easy film to sit through. There is no excessive violence or gore, but the director sustained an uneasy ambience that is both intriguing and disturbing. {Yorgos Lanthimos is the director of the 2009 movie Dogtooth}
I am quite impressed by Colin Farrell's performance in the film. It was very different from his usual action-heavy front. Another interesting performance comes from Léa Seydoux. Vividly remembering her as Emma in Blue is the Warmest Color, Seydoux becomes this ruthless leader who manipulates emotions for survival.
"The Lobster" will be showing in Hong Kong cinemas from 12 May onwards. Not to be missed. Jury Prize Winner of Cannes Film Festival 2015.
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