REVIEW: The Favourite

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
2018 Historical Comedy Drama
1 hour 59 minutes
From Fox Searchlight

Starring
Olivia Colman
Emma Stone
Rachel Weisz
Nicholas Hoult
Joe Alwyn

Without a doubt what this film has going for it are the three lead actresses.  This is an acting souffle, the best item on the menu.  The trio has already enjoyed a flush of acting nominations and wins with the promise of more on the way.  How rare it is to see a film where three women carry it and how wonderful to report of their rapturous contributions.

In the early 1700s Britain's Queen Anne (Colman) is suffering terribly with gout and is not paying the attention she should to her nation's war with France.  In fact, her resident close friend, Lady Sarah Churchill (Weisz), effectively rules the country and handles the war.  Sarah and the Queen also engage in a lesbian relationship.

Into this cozy setting comes Abigail Hill (Stone), Sarah's impoverished cousin, who is looking to secure work.  Abigail first works as a scullery maid but her wily ambition leads her into providing the Queen with some remedies for her gout and as a result Abigail becomes the Queen's lady-in-waiting, certainly an appropriate title for a devious woman with plans.

Abigail's chief plan is to remove Sarah from the Queen's bedchamber and her role of chief confidante and insinuate herself in both areas.  How that is or is not achieved becomes the fascination with the film.

I dare say not everyone will be so fascinated.  There's a stuffy feeling to the whole piece.  It's not always easily understood.  I was not bothered by either particularly but I could see that some would be.  What did annoy me was how dark the film looked.  I read that whenever possible natural lighting was used which may not seem like a big deal to some until one realizes it hard to see what's going on.

While I won't be specific, the ending certainly left a lot to be desired.  I heard rumblings of that as patrons left the theater.

None of the leading characters are particularly nice people which is likely why they seemed so endlessly fascinating.  And while I didn't find the story as interesting as I did the performances, still, royal stories with an underpinning of treachery and sex are usually worth a glance.

Hatfield House (below) in Hertfordshire served as the Queen's residence.

I find it interesting that Weisz and Stone have won or been nominated for best supporting actress.  Both have as much screen time and figure into the heart of the story as Colman does.  I thought Stone pulled off an English accent quite well.

Lanthimos is a Greek filmmaker who has attracted industry attention lately with his productions of The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, neither of which have I seen.  I have read that he became enamored of this project a few years ago.  I will assume he's very pleased with his efforts.


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