There’s no doubt that studios often save their best films to release in the current prime awards season, but if you’ve waited until now to check out what’s available, you’ve missed many, many excellent films. One of the essential features is Yorgos Lanthimos‘ dark comedy The Lobster, which gives Colin Farrell one of his best roles. Thankfully, it’s taken no time for the director and actor to reunite as they’ve recently finished production on their follow-up The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Also starring Nicole Kidman, Alicia Silverstone, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, and Bill Camp, the story concerns a surgeon (Farrell) who has taken a teenaged boy (Keoghan) under his wing, and the “unthinkable sacrifice” he has to make as his world unravels due to his behavior. We now have some new details as to the tone to expect, thanks to a new interview with Farrell. “I can say it’s — ugh, God — it’s eerier than The Lobster,” the actor tells Business Insider. “Yeah, I don’t know, it felt pretty bleak to me. I mean, when I read the script it was extraordinary and to work with Yorgos again was amazing.”
He goes on to say, “There are so many interpretations that this film could be approached from. But Yorgos is so specifically minded, he’s so clinical in his direction of the film. He’s really a master I feel, I really do. And I wouldn’t throw that word around often. I’ll wait to see what the film is, but it’s set in a contemporary world, in America, there are hospitals and diners, parks, things that we will recognize and experienced ourselves but yet there’s this similar kind of uneasiness through all the interactions and all the things that take place. It was unnerving reading the script. I kind of felt nauseous after reading it.”
Spoilers for The Lobster ahead, but to see a film that’s more eerie and bleak than one that features a dog that has been kicked to death, a failed suicide attempt, (possible) self-mutilation in the form of blindness, etc. certainly has our attention. With just a few features to his name, Lanthimos has emerged as one of the most singular voices in filmmaking as of late, so we’re eager to see this reunion with Farrell. As we await the first look and trailer, check out the full synopsis below.
The story follows a young man that needs to take revenge, a doctor that has to make a decision, and his family that must survive. A psychological thriller with supernatural elements.
Inspired by a Euripides tragedy, the story centers on Steven, a charismatic surgeon, and a teenage boy who seeks to integrate him into his broken family. When the boy’s actions become increasingly sinister, Steven’s ideal life starts to fall apart and he is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice.
A24 will likely release The Killing of a Sacred Deer next year, perhaps after a Cannes premiere.