Jockeying for power meets mad-cap mayhem in visionary director Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film, the absurd period piece comedy The Favourite.
For the audiences who have seen Lanthimos’s previous films – The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, – fans will recognize the unconventional relationships at play that he spins so wickedly, but this time done so humorously. Focusing on the behind-the-scenes politicking during the reign of Queen Anne in 18th century England, the possibility of war with France puts the entire country on edge. But that threat doesn’t compare to a new enemy born inside the royal castles walls when the arrival of a cousin to the Queen’s right-hand woman finds herself vying for the Queen’s attention – and with that, a rise to power. With his rich visual aesthetic and sharp-witted flare, Lanthimos, – like our dueling cousins – pulls out all the stops to make The Favourite hilariously unforgettable.
Anne (Olivia Colman) is many things: an emotionally unstable matriarch, a “crazy bunny lady,” and the Queen of England (and tantrums). Her flighty nature is only kept in check by her best friend and confidante, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz). Their dynamic is tested when Lady Sarah’s cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone), arrives at the palace, in search for employment. A hesitant Sarah eventually recruits Abigail to join her as her chambermaid, in what might be a deadly mistake, as a slow test to win the Queen’s affection begins to simmer. Behind Abigail’s doe-eyes and vulnerable demeanor is a devious and emotionally savvy woman who is willing to do whatever it takes to be the Queen’s right-hand woman.
An apt comparison of female power dynamics might very well be the high school satire Mean Girls, The Favorite being an 18th-
Lanthimos relies on two of his previous leading ladies to take the helm here: Olivia Colman, who played The Lobster‘s hotel manager and Rachel Weisz, who played opposite Colin Farrell in the same film, have an incredible back and forth that is as quick-witted and sharp as a ping-pong match. Emma Stone, the only non-British actor, puts her impeccable comedic sensibilities on display in both her physical performance and over-exaggerated line delivery. It’s a trio of brilliant performances from Colman, Weisz, and Stone only made stronger by the supporting cast which includes Nicholas Hoult as the aristocrat Harley and Joe Alwyn as Abigail’s royal suitor, Masham.
Behind the lens, cinematographer Robbie Ryan (American Honey, I, Daniel Blake) used unconventional camera techniques that at times reminded me of a music video. Most of the film is shot up from below, a low angle that frames us looking up at the characters that suggest an imbalance in the hierarchy of this royalty compared to the non-elite class – the audience. Whip pans, dolly shots, and the liberal use of the super wide-angle lens make the world of The Favourite feel like a fairytale, a world unique only to Yorgos Lanthimos (who also edited the film).
Yorgos Lanthimos has such a gifted way of creating fantastically surreal moments set in everyday life, and The Favourite continues this execution. In this case, everyday life is 18th century England but unlike his previous films, The Favourite is loosely based on historical fact. It remains self-aware, calling out Hoult’s over the top hair and makeup in a hilariously demeaning fashion.
Although it doesn’t quite surpass my all-time favorite – The Lobster – there is so much to love in this macabre dark comedy and is, without a doubt, another shining addition to Lanthimos’s films. As Lady Sarah tells Queen Anne over and over again, “Love knows no limits” and true as those words are, there is no limit to my love for this film, making The Favourite one of my favorite films of the year.
‘The Favourite’ is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, and language. 119 minutes. Opening this Friday
