Two cousins (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone) jockey for influence and power during the reign of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman, who scored an Oscar and Golden Globe for her performance) in this political comedy-drama from the Oscar-nominated director of The Lobster.
"Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail (Stone), arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way." (Venice Film Festival)
“Love has its limits.” “Well, it shouldn’t.” This exchange, which takes place in the opening scene of The Favourite, could plausibly be from any of Yorgos Lanthimos’ small yet notorious catalogue of films. From Dogtooth, to The Lobster, to The Killing of a Sacred Deer, the Greek director and cinema darling has something of a preoccupation with emotional barriers—and what happens when they are transgressed.
Full reviewIt’s a perfectly cut diamond of a movie — a finely executed, coldly entertaining entry in the genre of savage misanthropic baroque costume drama.
Full reviewThe Favourite is a pleasure to watch. It's weird without being alienating, dirty without being cheap. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a better acting trio this fall.
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This is a skewer-sharp and scabrously funny film, stuffed with quotable deadpan exchanges, often punctuated by that now-trademark Lanthimos camera manoeuvre...
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It is a scabrous and often hilarious film, made loopier by the nightmarish visions and wide-angle distortions contrived by the cinematographer Robbie Ryan.
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This proudly literate and happily bawdy film is being picked as a dark horse in the Oscar race already.
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The absurdist dark humour won't appeal to everyone — depending on your level of cynicism, you'll either witness a masterful work of profundity or an overcooked piece of silliness. I loved it.
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[Yorgos Lanthimos'] idiosyncratic style is an acquired taste that's starting to go stale, and as such this is one of those films that works like a charm in the moment but whose spell quickly wears off.
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Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite is a filthy, violent and outrageous period comedy that drips with bad language and worse behaviour, and will appal anyone who is expecting a more conventional royal drama.
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