The Favourite

photo courtesy of theatlantic.com

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

     Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz star in The Favourite, a new film from acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos. Set in the early 1700s, The Favourite tells the story of Queen Anne (Colman), whose reign over England, Scotland, and Ireland is greatly influenced by her court favourite Sarah Churchill (Weisz). Sarah enjoys unrivaled control over political, military, and social matters until her disgraced cousin, Abigail Hill (Stone) arrives at court. By the time Sarah recognizes the threat to her position and power, war has already broken out between the two of them—and they don’t take prisoners.

     The Favourite is definitely an artsy kind of film, more accessible than Lanthimos’ The Lobster but probably not everyone’s cup of tea (thanks to a period setting, some court politics, and an oddball sensibility). Still, it’s not nearly as boring as that may sound; this is more about intrigue, cunning, and rivalry than about stodgy political maneuvering and furtive backroom dealings. The court politics do make an appearance, yes, but the draw here has to do with watching the three leading ladies play a deadly game of chess.

photo courtesy of rollingstone.com

     The Favourite displays near-perfect craftsmanship; you’d be hard pressed to find a wasted frame, scene, or line of dialogue. Lanthimos has an undeniable knack for visual storytelling. He uses a few unconventional techniques (like fish-eye lenses) and even employs some overt symbolism, so that even when the things onscreen aren’t exactly vibrant (this is the 1700s, after all), he gives the audience plenty to look at and think about.

     The whole enterprise is rather brilliantly scripted. On the surface, the story follows Abigail and Sarah striving against each other for Anne’s favor, using every tool—scrupulous or otherwise—at their disposal. But in reality, the story is about all three women, each struggling for their own self-determination and legacy, vying against each other and their enemies in court and abroad. Along the way, the scenes are witty, devilish, and occasionally heartbreaking. In a few places, the movie lapses into pure absurdism, as Lanthimos has been known to do.

photo courtesy of geektyrant.com

     Colman, Stone, and Weisz, each supremely talented actors, can expect major nominations for their performances. When they work in concert, it makes for pure cinema magic. Colman (who you may know from Broadchurch, The Lobster, or Murder on the Orient Express) has always been exceptional, and the role of Queen Anne—which ends up being surprisingly complex—finally gives her something to sink her teeth into. Even though Stone, as the sympathetic (?) character, receives much of the attention, Colman steals the show.

     FINAL VERDICT: The Favourite is a storytelling triumph, at once brilliant, scandalous, and exceedingly strange.  

The Favourite is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, and language.

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