The Lighthouse (2019): Employee/Manager Relations

Two fishermen in the 1800’s (played by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe) are dropped off at a coastal island that harbours a lighthouse, to enact maintenance on the estate for a few days. When their boat ride back home is delayed due to a storm, things take an unnecessary dark turn. 

As Robert Egger’s, The Witch is very much about strained family relationships, Robert Egger’s, The Lighthouse is very much about strained workplace relationships. About how gruellingly intense the nature of a blue-collar job is, that leads one wanting to relax or fuck around to debauchery type lengths, because of the repetitive nature and low-income reward of these jobs. The film showing the only relief after a hard day at work is drinking, pointing out a cause for alcoholism. 

The ultimate signifier of darkness in The Lighthouse is its dark, tonally moody, sinister score, that shrouds the film from moment one. Preparing you for the grim regretful journey of two fishermen.



The use of fart, bird and hyperbole humour, illuminates the anger and intensity of the films characters and makes things oddly creepier knowing they’re acknowledged later in the film. The set pieces you notice and comment on to yourself are brought up by the characters nearing the films climax, expressing the frustrations built up in this scenario which gives way to the regrets the characters have in their past lives, making this film partly about ones trajectory in life and the toll the past takes on you when you’re not where you want to be. And like the blue collar work place one puts their head down and ignores extreme conditions to get the work done only to relieve their thoughts later in the gaze of masculine design. 

The dynamics of the manager and employee relationship is very much put on display in The Lighthouse. The greed of capitalism and the power of status that makes a person in a managerial position treat a person in a subordinate role like a dog and that pain being so felt that the subordinate wants to reverse the situation so exactly making the manger feel what the subordinate feels as pointed out in the film. Along with workplace safety ignorance in a company and the manipulation of the worker. 

Beautifully shot in Nova Scotia with its vast lighthouse cliff water scenery and roaring storms. Set in rectangle aspect ratio coloured with black and white, which cozies you into the story but as well marvels you and disturbs you at the same time. With such simple aesthetics, the aspect ratio centres key moments all fenced and dripping with cold unforgiving storm water. Not to mention the blast of the air conditioning at your local cinema that adds the experience of the films frigid wet landscape that makes you wonder how many times the actors got sick being in constant torrential rain. 

Robert Pattinson puts himself threw the ringer as he did in Good Time, again portraying someone who beyond desperate and like Pattinson himself, will do anything to prove themselves.

As Pattinson carries the film Dafoe anchors it, and forms it with a strong and terrifying performance that has no mercy or back down, and is effortless self assured beyond any role Dafoe has done. Both actor’s unconventional facial features and eye intensity, were absolutely made for this films creepy and broken intentions of the 1800’s. 

Eggers again shows talent in the “Horror Hangout” movie and in a deep longing character study of location, place and home among people of a certain older time period striped of the amenities and thoughtfulness we so dependently need and rely on. First with family annoyances in The Witch and now workplace annoyances with The Lighthouse to extreme degrees. 

The Lighthouse is great sophomore effort in the exercise of momentary pain and strain, and all that has created it. And oddly makes you want relive it all once you’ve see it, because of the relatability of work culture and the allure of something that’s barred from us as some sort of a next level promotional amenity, only to come to terms, with your place in life.



9/10

• Maurice Jones