The Favourite

Score:  B+

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult
Running time: 120 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  The Favourite is a period piece in the unique stylings of its director, Yorgos Lanthimos.  Its title is apt not just for the central drama of two women fighting for Queen Anne's favor, but also for the raft of awards it's up for.  Colman, Weisz and Stone make a tremendous trio and lift up the movie, but it's also weighed down by the coldness of Lanthimos's style.  A great choice for the right audience, otherwise, Netflix it if you're curious.


In the 18th century, Queen Anne (Colman) oversees England's war with France through her trusted adviser Sarah (Weisz), who attempts to also assist her with her debilitating gout.  As Sarah battles against members of Parliament who stridently resist the ongoing war - or at least the heavy taxation that it requires - she finds herself aided by the unexpected arrival of Abigail (Stone).  Abigail, once of nobility, has come to court seeking employment, and shows skill in caring for the Queen's ailments.  However, Abigail soon finds herself in a precarious position after discovering an explosive secret and - separately - being approached by a rival to serve as a spy.  Sarah and Abigail's friendship quickly becomes strained, and the result of their escalating personal battle will have much farther reaching consequences.

The Favourite's cast is led by its impressive trio of actresses.  Olivia Colman's Queen Anne as the lead is in some ways upstaged by her co-stars, but as the central figure in the story, serves as its crucial anchor.  Like several other recent historical roles, her physical bearing is transformative, her legs hobbled among other disabilities, which is a significant element of the character.  But she presents the complex interior of the Queen even more vividly.  Sarah and others treat her almost like a child at times, and her sudden shrieks of frustration and other moments of gentle, seemingly naive play and wondering surely bring this on her.  Yet she is also clearly more aware of what is going on around her - and how others truly see her - than such a passive character would.  Colman shows the overwhelming breadth and depth of the effects of her royal life/prison, but is also more than the sum of those injuries, vanities and powers.  Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are both excellent as well as Anne's competing ladies.  On the surface, they are each other's opposite: Sarah is formal and well-trained, at home in the court and dutifully serving her country; Abigail is shyer and more playful, willing to serve others in myriad ways to keep herself free.  But each is extremely intelligent, and resort to greater ruthlessness to achieve their aims.  They even adopt each other's styles in doing so, with Sarah mounting a guerrilla campaign and Abigail joining the socialites.  Nicholas Hoult gets the only significant supporting role, and he's great fun as the Queen's rival; usually on the humorous receiving end of the ladies' superior tactics, he nonetheless plays a crucial connecting role of his own.

The Favourite is a period piece like no other; its strange, funny and mischievous tone is a difficulty adjustment, but it's elevated by the remarkable performances.  Director Yorgos Lanthimos is one-of-a-kind himself, and it took me a good half hour to adjust to both its historical dialogue style splashed with dry wit, as well as (or, combined with) its confusing mixture of direct narrative events with tongue-in-cheek silliness.  Fortunately, it all gets considerably easier to follow once the most heavily stylized first act is done and it gets down to business.  The main action of the film is the battle between Sarah and Abigail, although I'm sure I missed a lot on what I consider the periphery - both due to the odd dialogue and my own lack of sophistication.  This rivalry is intriguing and fun in many ways, but the style creates a detachedness that even the terrific performances can't overcome.  Watching Weisz's Sarah operate in court is fascinating, both outmaneuvering her rivals and guiding Anne to the right decisions (usually gently, sometimes fiercely).  When she suffers a betrayal, an eye patch is a great symbol of her character's ultimate transformation.  Stone's Abigail is great, too, seeing her early, humiliating struggles followed by her gleeful (often manipulative) fun with her transfixed male companion.  Her transformation - a loss of control over her ego - is interesting as well.  But, apart from a few brief pigeon shootings together, it happens in isolation.  As rich as the performances are and the skill and intention behind its filming, I felt a kind of emptiness by the end.  Technically very good - and perhaps even better with a rewatch - but it's as frustrated as Anne herself by the inability to flourish despite its strengths.

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The Favourite is a strong film, one that I can see why both critics and certain types of audiences would just adore.  The director, Lanthimos, also did one of the worst movies I've ever seen, The Lobster, which has the same odd style - in the mold of Wes Anderson, although emphasizing a dry wit and (often exasperating) incongruity.  The Favourite is much more viewer friendly than that one, fortunately, although my personal reaction is that he just tries too hard to be clever (although maybe I'm just too simple).  The performances transcend their director's quirkiness (wherever you stand onit), and gradually as the film goes on Lanthimos focuses more on them than his own devices.  This film certainly isn't for everyone, but if you're looking for something different, this might be it.  Just be warned that it is explicit to a level that you don't expect from a period piece.




* Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5083738/mediaviewer/rm2667934464