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10

LamontRaymondNov 23, 2018

Easily one of the best films of 2018. The three leads are incredibly good, with Rachel Weisz leading the way. I've always loved Olivia Colman, and she's fantastic as the insecure, gluttonous Queen Anne. Emma Stone is really good, but theEasily one of the best films of 2018. The three leads are incredibly good, with Rachel Weisz leading the way. I've always loved Olivia Colman, and she's fantastic as the insecure, gluttonous Queen Anne. Emma Stone is really good, but the movie takes a bit of a turn (along with her performance) about 2/3 of the way through. I have to mention the director and the DP - the film is shot absolutely beautifully, and the score is innovative / perfectly pitched. A word of caution: if you're easily offended, you might want to steer clear. It's not a movie of its time. But it is uproariously funny at times - great writing.… Expand

21 of 38 users found this helpful2117

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10

sachineldhoNov 1, 2020

A true masterpiece just like Dogtooth and The Lobster. Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the best directors of this era.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

jgzegerJan 26, 2019

While there are a lot of things to like about this movie (the performances, the costumes, the sets), the story line is not one of them. Neither is the background music which at times I found quite annoying. Altogether the film tries to be tooWhile there are a lot of things to like about this movie (the performances, the costumes, the sets), the story line is not one of them. Neither is the background music which at times I found quite annoying. Altogether the film tries to be too clever by half and in the end falls flat on its face and just becomes tedious. I ended up wishing I had made a different choice for my film fare.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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2

EPMDFeb 14, 2019

Some viewers will enjoy the dark comedy aspect of this movie. It didn't hit my funny bone, and if it doesn't hit yours, you will probably hate the experience. My one-word description of this movie is unpleasant. The characters are mean, theSome viewers will enjoy the dark comedy aspect of this movie. It didn't hit my funny bone, and if it doesn't hit yours, you will probably hate the experience. My one-word description of this movie is unpleasant. The characters are mean, the music is grating, the dialogue is crude, the sexual content is intentionally distasteful, and the story isn't interesting enough.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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2

ManFromTheHillsJan 14, 2019

Well, that was... irritating. It’s well acted, interestingly shot, but ultimately failed to engage my interest in the characters or the plot. I don’t think the film knows what it wants to be: it’s not that funny, it’s not about characterWell, that was... irritating. It’s well acted, interestingly shot, but ultimately failed to engage my interest in the characters or the plot. I don’t think the film knows what it wants to be: it’s not that funny, it’s not about character development, and there’s no real story beyond a rivalry between the two main characters to become the favourite of the queen. There’s very little evidence to support the story, so it doesn’t really qualify as historical fiction.
The music soundtrack is ugly and distracting (is this a comment on the queen? Who knows? Who cares?)
Ultimately I was relieved it was over. Overrated, over complicated, But thankfully, over.… Expand

9 of 14 users found this helpful95

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1

QhasiJan 15, 2019

Oscar Bait. Nothing more. Interesting premise but never goes anywhere. Watched it twice in case I missed the point. I didn't miss the point.

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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1

BlondeDogFeb 5, 2019

If you like "arty" movies and want to believe the BS that goes on with the awards season - this is the movie for you. This was frustrating, irritating and tedious all rolled into one. Not a movie that you'll ever want to see again. It was,If you like "arty" movies and want to believe the BS that goes on with the awards season - this is the movie for you. This was frustrating, irritating and tedious all rolled into one. Not a movie that you'll ever want to see again. It was, however, great for reminding us why the monarchy should be abolished. Avoid wasting two hour of your life.… Expand

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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1

whitebirchFeb 22, 2019

In comparison to Helen Edmundsen's wonderful play Queen Anne upon which The Favourite is inspired, the screenplay is just cynical, self-indulgent, and really tiresome after a point. There's a place where cynicism becomes so black it is noIn comparison to Helen Edmundsen's wonderful play Queen Anne upon which The Favourite is inspired, the screenplay is just cynical, self-indulgent, and really tiresome after a point. There's a place where cynicism becomes so black it is no longer enjoyable to watch. If everyone is awful then who cares in the end. Just turn it off and make it stop. Good performances. Beautiful sets and costumes. A terrible and ultimately boring story.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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2

pdw123Jan 7, 2019

I am done with Mr. Yorgos Lanthimos and should've been done with him after The Lobster, and should've taken the hint about the artistic control over this MESS. Like another user reviewer, I'm giving the film 1 point for its, yes, gorgeousI am done with Mr. Yorgos Lanthimos and should've been done with him after The Lobster, and should've taken the hint about the artistic control over this MESS. Like another user reviewer, I'm giving the film 1 point for its, yes, gorgeous cinematography, wide screen panorama, production/costumes---and 1 point only for the fine acting---but the film should get zero or negative points for never having a coherent theme, never making us care about any the despicable characters, being one of the worst LGBTQ films probably of all time including being a downer for that whole community, etc. AND---when a film has a high proportion of neg reviews, plus those reviews like mine are not trite at all and are being thoughtfully written up, unlike "trolls" just slamming stuff---I have studied film in college---people had better take note of pro reviewers hyping an art film that doesn't deserve it and being bought off yet again!… Expand

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

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0

hydemikeJan 4, 2019

Film critics have made Yorgos Lanthimos out to be some sort of unique directorial talent and his "works" - "The Lobster","The Killing of a Sacred Deer" and now "The Favourite"- have made him the darling of the festival crowd and the movieFilm critics have made Yorgos Lanthimos out to be some sort of unique directorial talent and his "works" - "The Lobster","The Killing of a Sacred Deer" and now "The Favourite"- have made him the darling of the festival crowd and the movie critics. One can but applaud him for being able to entice finance from the supposed "hard-nosed" money men of Tinseltown and make films that are only comprehensible to a very select few. How to approach his latest, "The Favourite"? Some compare it to Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon", when in reality there are more than a few nods to the outlandish Ken Russell. Is it a drama? Is it a comedy? Is it a comedy drama or a drama comedy? Who can tell? Hopefully the locations and the costume providers have got Yorgos on their Christmas card list. As for the actresses whose talents have been largely wasted,let's hope their careers can survive their participation here. There were moments when all three were on screen at the same time and the power struggles all three endured would have made a more memorable film. Unfortunately the music of the film's composer would then raise its ugly head or the "fish -eye" lens of the cameraman would interfere and kill any drama stone-dead.
Hopefully "word-of-mouth" will kill this film off and at some point there will be a reality check amongst the critics who will finally realise that Yorgos has subjected them to an "Emperor's New Clothes" scenario yet again and they have been had not once, not twice but three times now.… Expand

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

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2

charles19Mar 2, 2019

One of the worst movies I have ever seen. Little to do with actual history, really bad plot line, and some ridiculous and infantile scenes that taxed my patience less than 15 minutes into the film.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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1

lstherapyDec 18, 2018

Im not sure if getting my wisdom tooth pulled or watching this movie was more painful. All five of us that saw this together found this movie to be a waste of precious time. Sorry but i just don't get all those rave reviews. As an avid movieIm not sure if getting my wisdom tooth pulled or watching this movie was more painful. All five of us that saw this together found this movie to be a waste of precious time. Sorry but i just don't get all those rave reviews. As an avid movie going i found that this directing fell flat along with script and character development. Painfully boring and uninteresting even with these three great actresses. Don't waste your time or money. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.… Expand

12 of 21 users found this helpful129

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0

max1cJan 25, 2019

This is most definitely one of the worst movies I have ever seen. This movie is a perfect display of toxic femininity, bad writing, and terrible story telling. This movie doesn't get anything right and makes absolutely no sense. The FavouriteThis is most definitely one of the worst movies I have ever seen. This movie is a perfect display of toxic femininity, bad writing, and terrible story telling. This movie doesn't get anything right and makes absolutely no sense. The Favourite is an absolute embarrassment to modern cinematography. I also don't doubt for a second that most reviews on here are fake.… Expand

8 of 14 users found this helpful86

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0

laurencwJan 10, 2019

This movie was about nothing. Absolutely ridiculous and terrible. Worst movie I've seen in a long time.

8 of 14 users found this helpful86

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3

schnedavidDec 28, 2018

The humor is lost on me. The dark and nastiness stands out. Acting good - costumes good - sets and locations good. I'd still say miss this one! Spend your movie dollars on something else.

9 of 16 users found this helpful97

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2

GreatMartinDec 14, 2018

In the past week or two "The Favourite" has been mentioned for many awards. It has been called 'wickedly entertaining', 'hilarious', 'black comedy at its best', 'delectable wit', 'a riff on "All About Eve" and a metacritic.com 91% rating ofIn the past week or two "The Favourite" has been mentioned for many awards. It has been called 'wickedly entertaining', 'hilarious', 'black comedy at its best', 'delectable wit', 'a riff on "All About Eve" and a metacritic.com 91% rating of critics and a 8.5 out of 10 rating while the critic's rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 94% and 66% audience rating.

Even though I had not liked director Yorgos Lanthimos's "The Lobster" between word of mouth regarding the performances of the 3 lead actresses and the talk of awards I was looking forward to 2 hours of fun, laughter and sarcastic wit. After an hour I was ready to walk out but I stayed and kept hoping something would happen for me to change my mind about this film.

Neither a duck race, a naked, fat man being pelted with pomegranates by other men in long curly wigs or a wife thinking/planning a way of getting rid of a rival's power over the queen while she masturbates her husband changed my mind.

Yes the acting by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz is first rate, especially by Coleman, and the power struggles between Lady Sarah (Weisz) and her cousin Abigail (Stone) including seducing the Queen (Coleman), mentally and physically, plus playing the men, in many ways, is typical of the genre while the war games between the heads of State of the French and English is really ho-hum.

"The Favorurite" took 2 hours of my life and didn't give me 1 laugh but it did give long, dark walks along castle hallways and backways with panoramic scenes of ballrooms, bedrooms and meeting rooms. It also gave me a very annoying soundtrack of what seemed, in 50% of the film, was a beat and what sounded like a bell.

In no way can I recommend this film!… Expand

14 of 25 users found this helpful1411

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6

FatalBrushDec 1, 2018

This movie profits from great actors and great performances. However, at the ZFF this movie was initially portrayed as a dark comedy but it wasn't my cup of tea and neither did the story draw me in. I was left a bit unsatisfied to be honest.

10 of 18 users found this helpful108

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3

clifbarDec 20, 2018

I am definitely going to remember this director's name after seeing this movie and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The best part of this movie was when it finally ended. The cinematography is dark and dreary like the movie. The characters areI am definitely going to remember this director's name after seeing this movie and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The best part of this movie was when it finally ended. The cinematography is dark and dreary like the movie. The characters are extremely well acted and very disturbing.… Expand

9 of 18 users found this helpful99

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1

dsmccoyDec 20, 2018

The actresses are good and the spectacle is sometimes interesting to watch, but the storytelling is incoherent, the cinematography annoying, the attempts at humor jarring, a painful soundtrack, and the characters unsympathetic. Overall it's aThe actresses are good and the spectacle is sometimes interesting to watch, but the storytelling is incoherent, the cinematography annoying, the attempts at humor jarring, a painful soundtrack, and the characters unsympathetic. Overall it's a period-costume dumpster fire. I see a lot of critics are loving it, which sometimes happens when confusing films are mistaken for "deep". This is a horrible film.… Expand

8 of 16 users found this helpful88

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5

JLuis_001Jan 7, 2019

Great staging, really good performances, outstanding direction, demolishing music. Overall a beautiful production and yet incredibly hollow.

The narrative is insipid and somewhat uninspired. The humor is weak. Something incredible comingGreat staging, really good performances, outstanding direction, demolishing music. Overall a beautiful production and yet incredibly hollow.

The narrative is insipid and somewhat uninspired. The humor is weak. Something incredible coming from Lanthimos because even in the darkness of The Killing of a Sacred Deer you could notice all the nuances. Here it's not very functional and to some degree disappointing.

It's a parody and a farce that fails at important moments and despite my high expectations and how much I expected this film and how much I expected to love it, the truth is that I ended up bitterly disenchanted, disappointed and dissatisfied.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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0

rosegarden75Mar 16, 2019

This was a horrid, depressing depiction of human depravity at it's worst. Why would you spend money to see that?

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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5

AxeTFeb 7, 2019

Gorgeous photography, set design, and interesting sound can't lift this from the expected perils of a stuffy period piece. Nor can raunchy content and contemporary dirty dialogue regardless of themes paralleling today's politics and feministGorgeous photography, set design, and interesting sound can't lift this from the expected perils of a stuffy period piece. Nor can raunchy content and contemporary dirty dialogue regardless of themes paralleling today's politics and feminist fads, no matter how good the acting.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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3

qMar 1, 2019

"The Favourite" is a period piece that features beautiful sets and costumes and a soundtrack of primarily Baroque music. Critics seem to bill it as a comedy; but, unless you consider ill health, psychological disturbances, treachery, and"The Favourite" is a period piece that features beautiful sets and costumes and a soundtrack of primarily Baroque music. Critics seem to bill it as a comedy; but, unless you consider ill health, psychological disturbances, treachery, and sexual perversion terribly amusing, you probably will fail to crack a smile during this entire sordid travesty of film making. I certainly did not hear anyone in the theater laughing. The audience consensus after the bizarre ending of the movie seemed to be "What on earth was that?"… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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5

Popcorn55Jan 28, 2019

Lost in a limbo somewhere between Masterpiece Theater and Monty Python, this artsy-fartsy cutesy-pootsy "period drama" is neither convincingly "period", nor very dramatic, nor does the occasional half-hearted comic scene redeem it. A lot ofLost in a limbo somewhere between Masterpiece Theater and Monty Python, this artsy-fartsy cutesy-pootsy "period drama" is neither convincingly "period", nor very dramatic, nor does the occasional half-hearted comic scene redeem it. A lot of work obviously went into this, and we have to respect the efforts of all involved but... it all turns out to be an odd and rather dreary affair that's more depressing than entertaining.

While there are many lingering close-ups of Emma Stone to show that her agent has negotiated a generous portion of exclusive screen time for her, the cinematography in general is notably annoying and distracting. In particular the "fisheye" wide angle shots with peripheral curving and distortion of the images, help to destroy any immersive experience here, and distance us from the story. A story which is often a bit hard to follow, and hard to swallow. That most of the cast don't make any attempt at English accents, and talk essentially L.A. street talk, additionally sabotages the historical ambience we expect. Maybe this was supposed to be campy, like it was in "Marie Antoinette", but it doesn't come across that way here.

Finally, the irritating score compounds the strange off-key quality of the film. While some period music is used, it's performed and mixed in a way that sounds inauthentic. Then we have long, long periods where the score is some kind of inexplicable, monotonous, modernistic knocking, tocking noise that again distracts us from the action at hand and reminds us that this is an artsy-fartsy director getting in his artsy farts instead of entertaining us.

On the positive side, the bunnies are cute; ducks are always a plus in any film; and when the horsies prance along with their feathered crests on, that's pretty darn cool.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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3

ccatartMar 3, 2019

This movie was destroyed by an inappropriate score/sound design. The performances, script, costumes and art direction are all first rate. The cinematography was not a style that I appreciate, but it was competent. So was the editing. TheThis movie was destroyed by an inappropriate score/sound design. The performances, script, costumes and art direction are all first rate. The cinematography was not a style that I appreciate, but it was competent. So was the editing. The sound mix was bad, in that the underscore was always hotter than the dialogue,and the choreography is so modern, it rips your attention right out of the period setting. But the worst offence is the underscore. It doesnt match the action and pacing at all. If they were shooting for weird and distracting, they succeeded admirably. If on the other hand they wanted all the separate parts to come together to support and add to the story then this movie is a miserable failure! In spite of that fact, some of its individual elements(acting, script, costumes) are Oscar worthy. All in all, a HUGE disappointment.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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0

FOURCAKERSJun 1, 2019

This is by far one of the worst movies I have ever seen!! I wanted to throw up during the lesbian scenes..it was the biggest waste of time and I will never get those 2 hours back!! How people gave it 7's and 8', 9's and 10's is BEYOND ME!

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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4

ClariseSamuelsFeb 7, 2019

Sometimes you have to wonder what the critics are looking for in an Oscar-worthy movie, and how they manage to find it in a film like The Favourite. This what-if-Queen-Anne’s-court-was-lesbian premise is historically off the wall, given thatSometimes you have to wonder what the critics are looking for in an Oscar-worthy movie, and how they manage to find it in a film like The Favourite. This what-if-Queen-Anne’s-court-was-lesbian premise is historically off the wall, given that two of the protagonists, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) and Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) were historically documented to be extremely devoted to their husbands. The historical basis for the lesbian theme apparently harks back to some vindictive rumors that were circulated during Queen Anne’s reign (1702–1707 as Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and then until 1714 as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland) by malicious and jealous courtiers. At Versailles such a scenario might have been plausible, but the stodgy, uptight English court of the eighteenth century? The French Catholic aristocracy felt they needed a priest only twice in their lives—when they married and when they died—but the English took the Anglican Church and the wages of sin very seriously. Since Henry VIII, the ruling monarch has been the head of the Church of England, and this kind of liberated behavior would have been severely repressed during this era.

So the film has to be accepted as a fantasy, and a wild, absurdist one at that. Billed as a comedy-drama, it’s not that humorous. I didn’t laugh once. The actors are consummate professionals, and the costumes and period sets are perfect; nevertheless, the film is wearisome. Dark hallways looming up at the camera and a preoccupation with a wide-angle lens distortion known as pincushioning (usually considered a photographic flaw but used in this film as a feature) are recurring stylistic devices. Colman’s acting in the role of Queen Anne is of the highest caliber, but she always has to act sick, moody, and on the verge of hysterics, so her character is also wearisome. Her Queen Anne seems to be quite stupid and unable to comprehend politics, economics, military strategy or anything that does not cater to her sexual needs and her personal vanity. Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are rivals for the Queen’s affections, and their characters display the worst kind of female wiles and weaknesses, stopping just short of hair-pulling and scratching each other’s eyes out. Scenes are introduced with text graphics that are random quotations, sometimes skewing the letters with arbitrary spacing. The film is artistically conceited. In the end, it does not produce the desired effect, which presumably is to depict the absurdist and existentialist view that there is no intrinsic meaning in life. The musical score is as pretentious as the rest of it, vacillating between Baroque violins and a bizarre chiming sound that is supposed to set a mood but is instead unnerving and bewildering.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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4

JoeCoolMar 10, 2019

Great costumes and acting, but basically a fairly gross movie about social scheming if about anything at all, made only for the purpose of painting an unflattering picture of nobility with the excuse that it's obviously non-historical. I'dGreat costumes and acting, but basically a fairly gross movie about social scheming if about anything at all, made only for the purpose of painting an unflattering picture of nobility with the excuse that it's obviously non-historical. I'd rather just not have seen this skillfully crafted travesty. A disturbing movie that I will make sure to never see again. I'm not seeing the sattire, just lots of poor taste. Even with all the "cleverness", it's not a bore-fest and that's something at least.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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10

Blink1192Aug 3, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was very much c*ntstruck by this movie. Even having watched it a second time last night I did not get the tragedian bitter end feeling that was invoked upon the first time watching. No, this time it was much more akin to satisfaction as this time I was very much more certain as to who was the decent being in this duo of favourites. Because that perhaps is the best part of this film, the constant confusion as to whom is the worse of the two? And who is the favourite not in the actuality of being the favourite but more in the deservedness of it.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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3

BeatrixKiddoSep 12, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the worst movies l have ever seen! What was the point of this film? Completely non-sense! And the ending was so wtf. I didn't understand what happened in the end. All three main characters were so freaking annoying.. the movie is not realistic at all... oh, and enough with the homosexual sex in movies, it's getting annoying.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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7

MarkiniFeb 22, 2019

The dark dramedy does a great job at revealing a relatively unknown time in British History. All three actresses do a great job in both making you relate to them and revile them. The script and direction are all decent. The costume design isThe dark dramedy does a great job at revealing a relatively unknown time in British History. All three actresses do a great job in both making you relate to them and revile them. The script and direction are all decent. The costume design is one of the best parts of the film. However, the ending really gives this good film and adequate sendoff.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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5

OdinMovieBlogMar 5, 2019

This film is the very definition of Oscar bait. Brilliant camera work, solid acting, and beautiful production design and costumes make this film a beauty to behold with no true soul. the constant battle that occurs within the story about whatThis film is the very definition of Oscar bait. Brilliant camera work, solid acting, and beautiful production design and costumes make this film a beauty to behold with no true soul. the constant battle that occurs within the story about what kind of movie and what kind of story it wants to tell makes the film seem very disjointed. Add to this the fact that you can pick out any scene that is essentially made for critics and Oscar voters and you got yourself an extremely overrated beautiful catastrophe. C-… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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9

MasadaApr 19, 2019

One of my favourite movies of last year. Brilliant acting performances of Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone who take early 18th century dialogue and absolutely kill it with their deliveries. I don't think I've ever seen a movie setOne of my favourite movies of last year. Brilliant acting performances of Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone who take early 18th century dialogue and absolutely kill it with their deliveries. I don't think I've ever seen a movie set in this time frame that hasn't felt as fresh as this one. I didn't agree with some soundtrack and camera lens choices, but some really added to the perspective and scale of the palace.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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0

EmilineVonsJan 1, 2019

I cannot stress this enough. This is one of the worst movies I have seen in my entire life. I studied Film in college so I am no stranger to the weird or the avant garde. This however is just pure vapid horror. I am absolutely shocked thisI cannot stress this enough. This is one of the worst movies I have seen in my entire life. I studied Film in college so I am no stranger to the weird or the avant garde. This however is just pure vapid horror. I am absolutely shocked this film has met with universal acclaim as its completely un-funny, meaningless and just can I say - gross? Its a shame as the lead actresses are all very talented but Yorgos Lanthimos' direction is pure pretension. Its a shame so many people have failed to see straight through it. Save yourself the cost of a cinema ticket and don't go see the truly awful movie.… Expand

9 of 19 users found this helpful910

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2

drchocDec 15, 2018

Terrible movie-not a comedy or a tragedy; poor camera work; the 2 actresses were ok-good talent in terrible roles. Poor editing. Often very dull film.

8 of 17 users found this helpful89

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10

DrBlahBlahDec 21, 2018

One of the best films of the year, The Favourite is well-written, perfectly acted, occasionally distracting (re: fish eye lens shots), and overall an original blend of period piece and psychodrama. And far better than The Lobster.

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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10

GinaKDec 10, 2018

Although far more accessible than The Lobster and The Killing of the Sacred Deer, The Favorite is an equally wonderful film by Yorgos Lanthimos. The one thing the three films have in common is that Lanthimos again elicits wonderfulAlthough far more accessible than The Lobster and The Killing of the Sacred Deer, The Favorite is an equally wonderful film by Yorgos Lanthimos. The one thing the three films have in common is that Lanthimos again elicits wonderful performances from his actors, in this case his three leading ladies (and the rest of his cast also). My vote for the best of the leads is Rachel Weisz, but she also probably had the most difficult role. Olivia Colman was wonderful as the emotionally needy Queen Anne, as was Emma Stone, her rival to be the queen’s “favorite.” I happened to go to the film with an eighteenth-century British historian, and I was assured Lanthimos also got his history and 18th century culture right! This is definitely one of the best and most enjoyable films I have seen this year.… Expand

8 of 18 users found this helpful810

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10

cwong46Nov 23, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I thought that this was a wonderful, witty film. The film's accurate depiction of power-hungry people and their tactics was difficult to swallow despite the humor, but it ended up proving to be a wealth of information for me in regards to the nature human treachery. It was beautiful to see how the film's ending ensued--with Emma Stone's character stuck in the degrading task of rubbing the Queen's legs in knelt position--as it demonstrated to me the futility of pursuing power, and how power could entrance even powerful people into feeling perpetually worthless and weak (like a rabbit) in relation to others. Disregarding the subject of power, I also admired the film's ending for its inevitability and natural conclusion. The psychological punishment that resulted from an obsession of power was that one in turn would always feel powerless, no matter what transient, self-therapeutic means one could instantiate against this feeling, including cruelty towards others, self-indulgence, or the attainment of higher social status. Emma Stone did a wonderful job portraying this character, whose troubled background, although tragic and in part responsible for her feelings of worthlessness, was not the primary determinant of her corruption. This film showed that the personal choices of the protagonist, including treating love as a means to an end rather than an end in itself, changing her allegiance in the name of personal "safety," and involving herself in the framing of both political propositions and people, ruined her grace and integrity. Overall, this film was insightful in many ways, and I'd love to see this being nominated for the awards it deserves.… Expand

8 of 18 users found this helpful810

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10

NightReviewsDec 26, 2018

“Favour is a breeze that shifts direction all the time.”

Lathimos’ third English language film following The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Dear is an exploration of the absurdities of the rich, powerful and bored. Yet no matter how“Favour is a breeze that shifts direction all the time.”

Lathimos’ third English language film following The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Dear is an exploration of the absurdities of the rich, powerful and bored.

Yet no matter how many clever indications one my make about the film’s title or the various tongue-in-cheek references that could be used to describe the film, or even Lathimos’ canon as a whole, it comes as a surprise to many that the director’s most tamed and least ghastly and disturbing film to date, is by far his most ravishing yet.

While the specific genre of the film has yet to be determined, Lathimos’ The Favourite is a hodgepodge of cinematic tropes; part black comedy, part period piece, part love story, part cat-and-mouse thriller, part buddy comedy, part completely insane, the film deconstructs everything that you expect from all of these categories of film and throws them completely on their head with immense style, fashion and perfection. To say The Favourite will be like anything you’ve ever seen, is a direct and misleading understatement, much like the characters it presents.

Written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite marks the first film Lathimos has not written a script he has directed since making his big splash at Cannes in 2009 with his highly unconventional and controversial film Dogtooth. Yet, as much as we appreciate the auteur’s uncanny ability of making people feel uncomfortable using the eeriness and awkwardness of other people by simply interacting with one another, this is one script that feels more Lathimos than any of the ones he has written in the past.

While the film is made during a prominent and very loud #MeToo movement in Hollywood, The Favourite is set in 18th Century England, a land where Queens rule and Kings drool, especially when the Queen is Mrs. Morley Anne (Olivia Colman) ruler of Scotland, Ireland and England and currently waging war against France. While the Queen is surrounded by men, including her military commanders and parliamentary leaders, Queen Anne proves that at the end of the day, the women make the rules and own the house. Yet, as important and iconic Queen Anne is, it becomes clear quickly that Anne is no more of a mere mortal with a crown next to her life-long friend and council advisor, The Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Rachael Weisz). While Sarah is able to wholly intimidate, scoff and insult the Queen right to her face, it seem that Sarah is only looking out for one person and one person only, despite her illusions and deceit. Occasionally giving accord to Queen Anne or her husband for that matter, military commander of the Queen’s army, Lord Marlborough (Mark Gatniss), Sarah is one a one-way ticket to riches, power and most importantly her, affection.

As Sarah seems to seemingly pave a path of success for years to come, things come to a steady halt with the arrival of her cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone). Although Abagail arrives in a heap of mud, discontent and stalked by tragedy, she quickly hardens up and wilts to the whim of her commanding cousin, only to quickly gain her affection and take her opportunity for the Queen’s admiration, following a natural herbal remedy for the Queen’s disgusting gout infested legs. Once Abigail becomes the Queen’s own personal leg-rubber, she begins plotting her dominance over the Queen and her affections, overshadowing her own cousin, proving that Sarah’s protegé as quickly become her biggest and most intimidating rival.

Where Sarah adorns the Queen with her brazen honesty and harsh truths, including advising when the queen looks like a badger, Abigail’s approach to the affections of the Queen include lies, deceit and endless compliments, making the Queen feel unlike anything Sarah never has. Often times eroticizing the Queen and her mundane and bizarre daily routines with her bunnies and while eating, Abigail and Sarah begin to duel for Anne’s love, doing whatever it takes to be her favourite.

As it turns out, each woman is capable of much unpleasantness, not only to one another, themselves but also to the poor saps surrounding them. Manipulating every man, woman and child around them for their own personal gains; both in search of security, status and nobility, Abigail and Sarah turn the conventions of a chessboard on its head, and make the queens, rooks, bishops and knights all of their pawns in their sick and twisted little kinky game of pleasure.

Attacking one another like vipers and wolves, jealousy becomes the weapon of choice for both women, who’s use of men only intensifies their sadistic little game of mitral destruction and decay. Taking no prisoners, Abigail and Sarah create alliances, forms admirable teams with many of the men occupying the palace on a daily basis.… Expand

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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9

IsaacJJan 6, 2019

With Olivia Colman set to follow on from Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth in the third season of The Crown, it seems a satisfying coincidence that Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film The Favourite sees the actress take on the role of another monarch.With Olivia Colman set to follow on from Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth in the third season of The Crown, it seems a satisfying coincidence that Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film The Favourite sees the actress take on the role of another monarch. The Crown may be the dictionary definition of period drama, but The Favourite is a very different affair, a tantalising twist on what often promises to be a dull sub-genre.
Here, Colman stars as Anne, the last Stuart queen “stalked by tragedy”, ravaged by gout and depression, with her pet rabbits her only solace. She has passed on the keys of power to her closest confidant and secret lover, Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), but all is turned on its head with the arrival of Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) a once noblewoman whose family has fallen on hard times. As Abigail surprisingly gains the favour of the Queen, so begins a ruthless battle that plays out before our eyes in a particularly captivating power struggle between the three women.
The Favourite is an enthralling film; Lady Sarah and Abigail turn loyalty into an increasingly vicious blood sport, making for a narrative littered with gratifying double-crossing, carnal intensity and stylish brutality, all accompanied by an almost illusionary sense of madness. It can only be defined as a tragicomedy, subtly hilarious yet hiding timely subtext that is delightfully ambiguous. The lines between love and deception are expertly blurred in a film that takes no prisoners in its uproarious execution. There is more deliberation in the overblown final act, however, that feels lengthy and distinctly less focused than the rest of the film.
The movie finds its greatest strength in its stellar cast, led by Colman, Stone and Weisz. Colman is outstanding as Anne, hilariously petulant and childlike, reminiscent of Miranda Richardson’s Queenie in Blackadder. There’s a blunt imperiousness to Colman’s performance that carries the film through with black humour. Beyond this, however, the scenes of greatest emotional resonance are those that show the more tragic side of Anne, as a woman who has lost seventeen children (“Some were born in blood, some without breath and some were with me a very brief time”) and has never recovered from the trauma. Colman breezes through these harsher scenes that cut surprisingly deep and help to give the film a greater purpose.
Rachel Weisz is the epitome of calculated steeliness as Lady Sarah and Emma Stone is pitch perfect in her first period role as the opportunistic and marvellously Machiavellian Abigail. Nicholas Hoult’s flamboyant Leader of the Opposition leads several foppish male roles, but these lie clearly in the peripheral; Yorgos Lanthimos makes apparent that the film’s sole focus is its women, all of whom are callous, yet vulnerable, but all quite brilliant in different ways.
The Favourite is beautifully designed, lavish costumes by Sandy Powell and a regal set giving the film all the expected grandeur of a period drama. The film’s more salacious side, however, is shown in Robbie Ryan’s absurdist cinematography which, whilst occasionally pretentious, gives a haunting contemporary spin. I was less of a fan of the wide-angled bend shots, as well as the film’s soundtrack (from Handel to the itchy modernism of Anna Meredith), which felt invasive and ceaseless.
Here, Yorgos Lanthimos has struck a fine chord. The Favourite is a wonderfully unusual and unsettling film that is at points gratuitous, but generally audacious and exciting. Spellbinding performances and an intriguing story make this not one to miss out on.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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3

DdlewDec 15, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I give this a 3 in honor of the 3 lead actresses. Otherwise, it deserves a 0. This movie is highly overrated. Implausible, not funny and not touching because the characters are unlikeable. No one to root for. Save your money. The ending sucked.… Expand

8 of 19 users found this helpful811

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9

Brent_MarchantDec 1, 2018

A wickedly dark, smug period piece comedy that's sure to leave viewers routinely agasp at its outrageous humor, which marvelously mixes understatement with in-your-face bawdiness. The trio of protagonists brilliantly portrayed by OliviaA wickedly dark, smug period piece comedy that's sure to leave viewers routinely agasp at its outrageous humor, which marvelously mixes understatement with in-your-face bawdiness. The trio of protagonists brilliantly portrayed by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz never disappoint, with each at the top of their game. The film's smartly written script is crisp and snappy throughout, even if it takes liberties with history and occasionally falls back on director Yorgos Lanthimos's signature penchant for needless ambiguity. Not everyone will go for this one, but if you can imagine a mix of the catiest moments from "Dynasty" dressed up in 18th Century trappings, you've got an idea what "The Favourite" is all about.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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9

KeithDowDec 4, 2018

No other period pieces come to mind when trying to find a comparison for 'The Favourite,' and even if there were, none would hold a candle to this 18th century tale of social scheming and palace politics.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos previouslyNo other period pieces come to mind when trying to find a comparison for 'The Favourite,' and even if there were, none would hold a candle to this 18th century tale of social scheming and palace politics.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos previously caught the attention (and admiration) of art house audiences with 2015's 'The Lobster,' followed by last year's 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer.' However this film is different, and it will justifiably earn Lanthimos a spot at the table reserved for Hollywood's elite directors.

The cast is outright brilliant. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Nicholas Hoult each deserve their own paragraph of praise. However, it is Colman who ultimately takes the cake for her performance (pun intended!). She looks to be the early front-runner for the Academy Award for Best Actress--a statement that is further bolstered by the fact that she just won that award category at the BAFTAs.

Expect her official nomination come January ... along with a slew of other nominations covering just about every Oscar category.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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3

QuadtheaterDec 22, 2018

What the hell is all the fuss about?? A lot of money was wasted in making this film. Very nice costumes. Good performances (I think), but I really couldn't hear all the dialogue. With the bells, the music etc. constantly in the backround,What the hell is all the fuss about?? A lot of money was wasted in making this film. Very nice costumes. Good performances (I think), but I really couldn't hear all the dialogue. With the bells, the music etc. constantly in the backround, very difficult fully understanding what was being said. The director seems to want to impress. All in all, an artsy fartsy film. In any case, didn't think it was funny.… Expand

7 of 17 users found this helpful710

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10

ProteusDec 14, 2018

Everything gels. The score, the drama, the comedy, the absurdity. It all comes together like a recipe which turns out just right.

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

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1

Marklar2359Dec 28, 2018

Typical critcally acclaimed dribble that Sundance film types and Hollywood suck ups adore that was completely unfunny, unwitty, unnecessary crass, gratuitous and misplaced sexual situations and 3 main characters it became difficult/impossibleTypical critcally acclaimed dribble that Sundance film types and Hollywood suck ups adore that was completely unfunny, unwitty, unnecessary crass, gratuitous and misplaced sexual situations and 3 main characters it became difficult/impossible to care about. In short, 2+ hours of torture. No one laughed. No one reacted. I see a lot of movies - this was in my bottom 10, for what’s its worth. Guys, if your girlfriend wants to go see it, please suggest something else to do. She’ll love you for it.… Expand

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

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9

Compi24Dec 26, 2018

Provocative director Yorgos Lanthimos brings us what many are saying is his most mainstream work yet -- "The Favourite." Make no mistake though, this movie is twisted, philosophically intriguing and, yes, provocative. This is a deep,Provocative director Yorgos Lanthimos brings us what many are saying is his most mainstream work yet -- "The Favourite." Make no mistake though, this movie is twisted, philosophically intriguing and, yes, provocative. This is a deep, dangerous study of the problems with power and the relationships that revolve around powerful figures. It's masterfully directed and acted, featuring a brilliant screenplay with carefully constructed characters and what's easily the best central conceit in any movie I've seen this year. It may not be for everyone, but it's certainly worth a watch.… Expand

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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8

TrevorsViewDec 27, 2018

“I like it when she puts her tongue inside me.” Yes, I crap you not: that’s a legitimate line heard in one of the Oscar frontrunners, one that I can even argue has a legitimate chance at winning the top prize of the night. It’s both your“I like it when she puts her tongue inside me.” Yes, I crap you not: that’s a legitimate line heard in one of the Oscar frontrunners, one that I can even argue has a legitimate chance at winning the top prize of the night. It’s both your typical awards fare and everything against the Oscar tropes: it’s an early 18th century setting about a crabby old queen (okay, fine… she’s not that old, she’s like, 42) who suffers from gout, and features an actress in the lead who won a little golden naked man for playing a struggling actress. But you know what else this motion picture contains? A duck race, badger-style makeup, mud baths, fish-eye lenses, walls buried under tapestries, smoke rings, oranges thrown at a naked man in a pink wig, Emma Stone’s boobs, and lots of pet rabbits. Believe it or not, it’s bound to be The Favourite of the Academy.

It’s miraculous to see how director Yorgos Lanthimos drags us down his rabbit hole to intoxicate us with his mad tea party where the hopping madness of the queen’s new servant (Stone) initiates an inconceivable battle of wits between herself and her cousin (Weisz). Every single frame looks like one of the numerous works of anti-art hung up in the queen’s castle, with doses of natural light used to illuminate the large interiors that tighten in on you through their arches. When there’s no sun available, candle lights are relied upon to darken the tone, making the women’s angst feel greater. Then when the perspective of the storytelling shifts into this new servant girl’s point of view, the proper look of the screen suddenly turns bulbous as if looking through the eyes of a guppy. You really do feel like you’ve gone mad in Lanthimos’ not-so-wonderous land of hearts.

What’s so grand about these three women fighting for power is that it all takes place in a single location, the only real change being the leisure outdoor bird-shooting. The bounding to the castle that almost feels like a character itself is a creative choice not implemented enough with other period pieces that instead decide to let the lavish sets and costumes take the narrative wheel. While these are still the best sets and costumes 2018 has had to offer, they never become the focus for a second. It’s all just a matter of escalating the three-way tension.

Speaking of three-ways, I should forewarn you that there is plenty of lesbianism that these women share with one another. That is, the two servants fight for the affections of the queen, a fight that even turns near-fatal at one circumstance or another. Although, it’s worth noting by fact checkers that it was never 100% confirmed that Queen Anne was ever a lesbian, and implementing it as a core part of this story probably was not fair to do, especially while leaving out her real-life husband from the story who died before the events told here. Yet for what this film strove to do, it gladly did not fall into the trap of turning the lovemaking full-on steamy, just enough of it is shown to give the idea without detracting from what each character feels.

Now, how should you feel as you watch The Favourite? Most likely, you’ll be rolling on the floor in laughter. I certainly was, maybe not literally, but next to Paddington 2, no other movie of 2018 made me laugh harder than this one. The eruptive line deliveries that the three women explode out of their vocal cords got the audience of my screening roaring with laughter as much as any other family comedy; what got me laughing the hardest was a wondrously bizarre dance that looked much like two courting geese. Oh, and the duck race at the beginning: that “quacked” me up quite a bit!

Such a flavor for humor displays the film’s ironic mindset of mocking the mad British monarchy, for even now, just like hundreds of years ago, women wanting to strangle one another for power always gets out of hand. That doesn’t at all mean this movie is anti-men, anti-women, or anything even remote to that. It instead testifies to all women with given authority over men how they must honor their authority while also honoring one another. It’s not a manner of which one with the most prominent “V” should be at the top of the pyramid, it’s a manner of us all being together, aligned toward the same goal.

Just to be plain, this movie is not for everyone. In fact, I say its totally bizarre narrative and tone makes it one of those movies only made to appeal to a select few who can appreciate its narrative approach. Odds are, a woman getting brutally scarred by a horse is not your idea of funny and watching two women feeling up one another is not the best way for you to see the dangers of women abusing their authority. That’s why extreme caution is advised, but that’s the way it should be. Yorgos Lanthimos’ newest masterwork is indeed a complicated movie about complicated topics and is not something anyone should think of taking lightly. Now, who wants some blue waffles?… Expand

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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3

oldcootDec 9, 2018

A waste of excellent performances by Colman, Weisz and Stone. Gratuitous, irrelevant scenes fail to add period flavor and detract from the already thin story line. What a disappointment.

7 of 20 users found this helpful713

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6

tropicAcesDec 5, 2018

Looks great and features a trio of solid performances, but just wasn’t my cup of tea. Too slow and abstract (a fat naked man being pelted by oranges in slow-mo isn’t my thing) and just doesn’t relish in its cruelness like it should. ButLooks great and features a trio of solid performances, but just wasn’t my cup of tea. Too slow and abstract (a fat naked man being pelted by oranges in slow-mo isn’t my thing) and just doesn’t relish in its cruelness like it should. But again, I know I’m in the minority here.… Expand

5 of 15 users found this helpful510

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10

The3AcademySinsDec 2, 2018

I have always admired the films of Yorgos Lanthimos. While The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer are not for everyone, The Favourite is hands down his most accessible film, and one of the best films I have seen in 2018. Lanthimos hasI have always admired the films of Yorgos Lanthimos. While The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer are not for everyone, The Favourite is hands down his most accessible film, and one of the best films I have seen in 2018. Lanthimos has finally nailed his aesthetic, and the script, performances, directing, and cinematography come together to create a modern masterpiece on the nature of love and power.

Visually, The Favourite is stunning to look at. Shot only under natural light, the period set and costumes come alive with a complexity and detail not often found outside of paintings. Lanthimos masterfully uses perspective to inform the audience on the emotions and goals of the characters.

Speaking of the characters, the acting is incredibly funny and realistic. All of the characters are complex and well-developed. Rachel Weisz plays what might be her most juicy part to date, and Emma Stone steps up her acting game as well. Olivia Colman stole the show for me as an incredibly vulnerable queen who acts like a spoiled child, but truly just wants to find love. The supporting performance by Nicholas Hoult stands out, and he is devilishly funny and alive.

The script by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara is all at once a sweeping epic and an intimate character study. The story the tell blends imperceptibly with Lanthimos's directorial style. The script has a alot to say, and leaves you with an ending that will be talked about by audiences everywhere. If you see one movie in 2018, make it The Favourite.… Expand

4 of 12 users found this helpful48

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9

agrlhsnousrnameJan 2, 2019

The Favourite is a movie that reminds one why the movies are a magical place. The Favourite brings the art of acting and filmography back to the cinemas. The Favourite puts a humorous spin on a classic like a historical drama with a healthyThe Favourite is a movie that reminds one why the movies are a magical place. The Favourite brings the art of acting and filmography back to the cinemas. The Favourite puts a humorous spin on a classic like a historical drama with a healthy dose of refreshing comedy. The Favourite breaks tradition from other movies that focus on over the top humor. The movie is riddled with well planned wit and subtle satire. Although it’s safe to assume every director, producer and actor wants the movie to do well and make money, it seems The Favourite’s biggest motivation is going back to the roots of cinema and focusing on the art of the craft rather than the profits or dominating the box office. It’s a movie made for the sake of reminding the audience and crew alike what cinema is really all about. Although The Favourite is a pleasure to watch, it is slow moving and lacks a clear plot line. For anyone seeking a ‘Die Hard’ like flick, seek elsewhere. For everyone else, enjoy a movie that reminds movie lovers why we are movie lovers in the first place.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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9

jhepJan 28, 2019

A perfect dramatic vehicle to express The Age of Trump and the malaise currently engulfing many of us…..A look inside a decadent society-cum-political system that has totally lost its bearings. A giddy mixture of Fellini’s Satyricon, the BBCA perfect dramatic vehicle to express The Age of Trump and the malaise currently engulfing many of us…..A look inside a decadent society-cum-political system that has totally lost its bearings. A giddy mixture of Fellini’s Satyricon, the BBC mini-series “I Claudius” and Bunuel and Dali’s “L’Age d’Or”.…The film presents us with a sinister realm in which The Absurd has triumphed and, as a result, we find ourselves thrust into a bitter, ferociously angry and at times comical film which somehow combines elements of Lewis Carroll and Hieronymus Bosch. We find ourselves immersed in dream-like, fairy tale realm dominated by an unquenchable lust for POWER, greed and infantilized vanity (sound familiar ?); an unhinged culture of sado-masochism, ennui and bizarre eccentricity …..The result is a dazzling achievement and (if you have the stomach for it) a refreshingly candid diagnosis of what now confronts us in this aforementioned Age of Trump. Finally let me say that “The Favourite” would makes a terrific double feature with Adam McKay’s “Vice”; his brilliant and searing re-visiting of the George Bush-Dick Cheney years in power/“government”.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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8

amheretojudgeJan 3, 2019

The Madness Rules.

The Favourite Lanthimos's tug of war is the most simplistic and cinematic project of his that isn't necessarily gloomy or sinister. Set as a period drama, the storyline takes off in a humorous tone that feels eerilyThe Madness Rules.

The Favourite

Lanthimos's tug of war is the most simplistic and cinematic project of his that isn't necessarily gloomy or sinister. Set as a period drama, the storyline takes off in a humorous tone that feels eerily intangible. But this is Lanthimos, this quirkiness has been his forte since The Lobster, and using it wisely to boost off for a head start, the film gains a ferocious pace as it ages on screen.

One of the oldest and repetitive tricks of the writers Davis and McNamara to lighten the mood is through using an uncouth language to voice their deepest feelings and since they live around the rich and clean Royal world, the irony tickles you down to rubble. But this incongruent vocab of theirs grows on you and the ratio of humor reduces as cutthroat politics gets in, along with jealousy, seduction and rage that follows the entire film into a darker tone; compared to The Lobster and The Killing Of The Sacred Deer, it still is the merrier one.

Since there is a lot to cover and equally sincerely and slowly to be projected, the sequences are often or not started as an aftermath that gives the makers quite a leap on the timeline to chew in the material as a slow and effective pill. This flamboyant vocab of the writers sails smoothly across the screen with comfort on narration that is gripping and absorbing as much as layered it is. And to succeed over this trifecta that every writer dreams of, Davis and McNamara has managed to weave out the best work of their career. Colman as the least concerned Queen of England has a behemoth of a character to climb upon.

And with her experience and deep dive into the character including the voice and the body language, she makes sure she earns the title with a big glossy tiara on her head. In her latter intense stage, the vulnerable yet not weak persona of hers is admirable but I'd prefer Colman in initial carefree stage where she is simply flat out hilarious. Stone in her surprisingly negative role is as good as she is on mocking the other characters unflinchingly. Playing the double agent on both the sides, she is the real schemer of the tale, her sassiness grows beyond her control and the film gets juicier and juicier in her reign.

But among all, personally I feel connected to Weisz's underdog character that evolves into the soul of the film. Her character steals the show not for the poignancy or the "pity" aspect of hers, but her innocence of the affection that floats untouched and pure in this lethal sandwich of love and war. Lanthimos's world does not believe on amending the broken bonds, resuming the clock from zero, it always seeks for a fresh start, a clean slate. The Favourite is a comic tale that takes itself seriously and works hard to be independent of any agendas or schemes which Lanthimos reveals upfront to you, honestly.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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6

MarkHReviewsDec 24, 2018

I went to the screening of “The Favourite” wanting and expecting to love it. I just can’t. There’s a lot to like about this film – the cast and the dialogue are fabulous. And while the crackling dialogue portrayed in the film’s trailer isI went to the screening of “The Favourite” wanting and expecting to love it. I just can’t. There’s a lot to like about this film – the cast and the dialogue are fabulous. And while the crackling dialogue portrayed in the film’s trailer is delivered fully throughout the film, be aware that this is no comedy. In fact, the theme being developed by Director Yorgos Lanthimos is just too bleak for many moviegoers and most human beings. “The Favourite” advances the thesis that all humans are venal, petty and self-absorbed. Genuine kindness is rare. Expecting people to help others, absent some sort of self-interest, is a fool’s errand. The film doesn’t just posit that people’s negative traits tend to overwhelm their better instincts; it advances the premise that we live in a world devoid of genuine goodness. It’s all a little hard to bear. However, “The Favourite” is clearly the most accessible and upbeat of Lanthimos’ recent films. In “The Lobster” (2015), single people are required to spend time at The Hotel, where they must either find a compatible mate within 45 days or be transformed into the animal of their choosing. His 2017 film “The Killing of the Sacred Deer” had some critics believing the film was a masterful meditation on cruelty, while others described the film itself as cruel.

“The Favourite” centers on the reign of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), who ascended the British throne in 1702. In no small part because she knows frighteningly little about affairs of state, Anne is strongly influenced by Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), Duchess of Marlborough. Churchill gives her cousin, Abigail Masham (Emma Stone), a menial job in the royal household after Abigail’s family has fallen from grace. Only too late does Sarah recognize that Abigail is a more-than-worthy rival for the queen’s affections. While the film is hard to bear, it’s not hard to watch. Colman, Weisz (both alumnae of “The Lobster”) and Stone are at the top of their games, making the viewing experience completely worthwhile, even while the film feels confusing in a few places, soul-crushing in several. For American audiences, Colman is a punch line – in the best possible sense: she has spent many years becoming an overnight sensation. Known in the UK primarily for her TV work, Colman has a long string of impressive credentials, most recently in “The Night Manager” (2016), a quirky stepmother in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s TV adaptation of “Fleabag” (2016) and a sublime performance in “Broadchurch” (2013-2017). In the UK, Colman is so ubiquitous she even appears in the current British Airways safety video. Weisz and Stone have both generated awards buzz of their own, but this is Colman’s show. She demands full attention despite portraying a character prone to self-pity and cloying neediness who is completely out of her element when it comes to behaving like a responsible head of state. (If her face were orange, viewers might see an analogy in contemporary events.)

“The Favourite” is least effective as a narrative to be taken literally, much more worthwhile as a meditation on the human condition that encourages debate and self-reflection. This film is powerful, necessary and important; it’s just not a lot of fun along the way.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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5

namelessJan 19, 2019

It is good for 80% of the movie then it turns into an "art film" that loses its way. See it on cable or TV so you can fast forward, ending the audience's pain as the director lost their way in the editing process and obviously changed theirIt is good for 80% of the movie then it turns into an "art film" that loses its way. See it on cable or TV so you can fast forward, ending the audience's pain as the director lost their way in the editing process and obviously changed their mind about the ending. That is why the reviews are so mixed. Only the most elitist critics are giving it high marks.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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4

moviecritic68Jan 23, 2019

I was shocked when the "Shape of Water" was so highly touted to be showered with academy awards but this film shocks me even more. I've tried to visualize the enthusiasm shown by many but I don't see it. I guess if you are into vulgarI was shocked when the "Shape of Water" was so highly touted to be showered with academy awards but this film shocks me even more. I've tried to visualize the enthusiasm shown by many but I don't see it. I guess if you are into vulgar behavior by old English royalty & almost S&M like portrayals then this film is for you. Costumes & music score was the only thing that kept me from going in the red zone. NOT FOR EVERYBODY!!!… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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7

backporchartistJan 13, 2019

This movie is bizarro and will most likely become a cult favorite.The acting is great from everyone and does deserve awards. What is truly horrible about this film is the constant , disturbing, if you want to call it music, sound in both theThis movie is bizarro and will most likely become a cult favorite.The acting is great from everyone and does deserve awards. What is truly horrible about this film is the constant , disturbing, if you want to call it music, sound in both the first half of the film and also again near the end. What the hell was that noise? Not only myself, but other movie patrons were complaining. Honestly, whoever decided this and why this sick sound was in the film is proof that many people are covering their ears and are missing the dialogue. Whose idea was it to add this noise and what were they smoking? Yes, the ending is strange and leaves you wondering but with a stupid grin on your face for knowing that this film will have you talking about it for a long time. Too bad that I can't give this film 10 stars due to that horrible sound.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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3

Kate22Nov 25, 2018

It was okay-bit overrated and extremely weird! Best part of the film was Rachel Weisz's performance (who's in it the most!). She should definitely be considered over Colman (who overplays Queen Anne) The cinematography is odd. Also had toIt was okay-bit overrated and extremely weird! Best part of the film was Rachel Weisz's performance (who's in it the most!). She should definitely be considered over Colman (who overplays Queen Anne) The cinematography is odd. Also had to question some of the films 'inaccuracies.' Critics have in the past, made issues with other films being historically inaccurate, well it's definitely a problem in ''The Favourite.''… Expand

9 of 31 users found this helpful922

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4

gxm143Dec 23, 2018

Very disappointing. Sure, the acting is first class, but what's the point in a plot that lacks drama, humour or historical significance. One of those critics' films whose allure escapes me. With a horribly crafted ending, you know, one ofVery disappointing. Sure, the acting is first class, but what's the point in a plot that lacks drama, humour or historical significance. One of those critics' films whose allure escapes me. With a horribly crafted ending, you know, one of those " is that it, it's over?"… Expand

4 of 14 users found this helpful410

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0

iluvmoveesJan 2, 2019

One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen and it’s rare that I dislike a film so much but watching it was torture. I think the positive reviews on here must be fake.

4 of 14 users found this helpful410

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7

TVJerryDec 17, 2018

You can always expect unusual cinema with director Giorgos Lanthimos ("The Lobster," "Killing of a Sacred Deer"). This time he's applied his warped sensibilities to the cunning affairs of the heart played out thru the machinations of court.You can always expect unusual cinema with director Giorgos Lanthimos ("The Lobster," "Killing of a Sacred Deer"). This time he's applied his warped sensibilities to the cunning affairs of the heart played out thru the machinations of court. Olivia Colman plays an ailing Queen Anne in 18th century England. She's attended by her devoted Lady and lover (Rachel Weisz). When a new servant arrives (Emma Stone), they begin a conflict for the Queen's affection. There's a beautiful location, lovely dresses and no small measure of absurd slants on royal life. The 3 women are all enjoyable, with Colman being especially enthralling. The film promises absurd satire and peculiar wit, which it delivers with compelling style, but the lagging pace and rambling narrative keep this film from fully realizing its absurd comic impact.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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8

BrianMcCriticDec 22, 2018

I can't say everything worked for me but it clearly succeeds because of Yorgo's different style and the film's incredible performances. A low 8 an A-.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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10

MattBrady99Jan 7, 2019

"You smell like a ninety-six year old French whore's vajuju."

Imagine Barry Lyndon, but more funnier and gayer. I've seen this movie a few days ago and when reflecting back at certain scenes I still chuckle. Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz are"You smell like a ninety-six year old French whore's vajuju."

Imagine Barry Lyndon, but more funnier and gayer.

I've seen this movie a few days ago and when reflecting back at certain scenes I still chuckle.

Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz are great as always, but Nicholas Hoult and Olivia Colman are both absolutely terrific.

Everything from a technical stand point is masterful. Yorgos Lanthimos has yet to make a bad movie or even an average one.

One of the best of 2018.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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8

Rebecca31Jan 5, 2019

There's no competition, give the Oscar to Olivia Coleman. Anyone who knows me will tell you I don't like period dramas, but this is far from your ordinary period drama. This is a Yorgos film and with director Yorgos Lanthimos I got what IThere's no competition, give the Oscar to Olivia Coleman. Anyone who knows me will tell you I don't like period dramas, but this is far from your ordinary period drama. This is a Yorgos film and with director Yorgos Lanthimos I got what I expected and so much more. The three central performances from Coleman, Weisz and Stone elevate this quirky historical film. If this is your first experience with a Lanthimos film then you're either in for a real treat, or you'll leave bitterly disappointed, or you'll walk out half way through. You really won't be able to tell until you give it a chance so get on board the Award Season train and go see The Favourite.

18th century England under the rule of a frail Queen Anne (Olivia Coleman). Her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country while tending to her ill health. Their friendship takes a change when a new servant, Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail takes this opportunity to fulfill her ambitions at any means necessary. It's delightfully disturbing, funny and unpredictable all at the same time. I might have preferred a little beheading but that's just me. I absolutely loved Olivia Coleman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, their acting was superb. Particularly Coleman, perfect casting, she dominates every scene. One of the strangest films you could watch, I'm still trying to decide how much I liked it and the ending is perhaps a little dissatisfying, yet one thing I'm certain of, I'll still be thinking about this film for a while. If the Lobster or The Killing of a Sacred Deer is your cup of tea then The Favourite is not to be missed. Highly recommended.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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9

AlextheamazingRJan 9, 2019

Amazing movie, was robbed for best picture, best supporting actress for Rachel and screenplay on the golden globes!! It's a **** masterpiece ,yes i know is cruel , maybe that ending bother a lot , but this movie is really deep and unique ,Amazing movie, was robbed for best picture, best supporting actress for Rachel and screenplay on the golden globes!! It's a **** masterpiece ,yes i know is cruel , maybe that ending bother a lot , but this movie is really deep and unique , the acting of Rachel, Olivia and Emma is astounding , the screenplay an original thing , the cinematography make you feel inside the movie, Yorgos direction is just amazing this man deserve the awards for best director not the overrated Cuaron... Spoiler alert/////////// The love Story of Sarah and Anne is just heartbreaking and Sad. WATCH THIS MOVIE!… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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9

Slovenly_MuseFeb 9, 2019

A spirited, nuanced, absurd portrayal of friendship, proximity to power, transactional affection, and even, if you squint, love.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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0

PIrwin987Jan 2, 2019

The worst movie I have ever seen. Two hours of time wasted. No plot. Gives a view on the judgement of the three main actresses who thought this movie might enhance their careers. No interest in seeing any of them again.

5 of 18 users found this helpful513

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10

srtafozexMar 9, 2019

My favorite movie of 2018. Acidly funny, technically flawless with an iconic cast. Great

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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10

PanchogulMar 9, 2019

La Favorita resultó ser mejor de lo que esperaba, excelente vestuario, un guión sofisticado, un muy pulido trabajo cinematográfico, actuaciones increíbles y con un toque de sensualidad y provocación que no esperaba ver y que aún así meLa Favorita resultó ser mejor de lo que esperaba, excelente vestuario, un guión sofisticado, un muy pulido trabajo cinematográfico, actuaciones increíbles y con un toque de sensualidad y provocación que no esperaba ver y que aún así me encantaron.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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7

Bertaut1Jan 19, 2019

Fans of Yorgos Lanthimos will love it. I'm not sure about everyone else

Although The Favourite, the seventh feature from Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos, eschews both convention and expectation, it's also his most accessible film by a mile. AFans of Yorgos Lanthimos will love it. I'm not sure about everyone else

Although The Favourite, the seventh feature from Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos, eschews both convention and expectation, it's also his most accessible film by a mile. A merciless satire of decadence, a savage morality play, a camp comedy of manners, a Baroque tragedy, an allegorical study of the corruptive nature of power - it's all of these and yet none of them. On the one hand, it's too long, the plot too threadbare, and the metaphors too ill defined. On the other, the acting is flawless, it looks amazing, and it's as funny as it is dark.

Originally written by Deborah Davis in 1998 and later refined by Tony McNamara, the film is set in England in 1708, and tells the story of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) and one-time scullery maid Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) and their increasingly bitter rivalry for the affections of Queen Anne (a mesmerising Olivia Colman). Historians, however, probably won't be too thrilled to learn that Lanthimos is relatively uninterested in either historical actuality or socio-political contextualisation. This is a story about a love triangle, with everything else just the background against which that triangle plays out.

The film's most salient theme is the dynamic of gender politics. For starters, it's headlined by three actresses (something which is still rare enough as to be notable), whilst the men are background players, existing only to be mocked, exploited, and duped. However, what's interesting is that the world of women is anything but a utopia. Yes, it's relatively free of toxic masculinity and the male gaze, but in most other aspects, there's no real difference between the matriarchy and the patriarchy. The women may be smarter, but they are no less greedy or cruel. When asked by the Hollywood Reporter if a film about females treating each other badly might be considered a setback in a post #MeToo era, Colman explained, "How can it set women back to prove that women fart and vomit and hate and love and do all the things men do? [...] That's what's nice. It doesn't make women an old-fashioned thing of delicacy."

As one would expect from Lanthimos, the film is aesthetically flawless. Director of photography Robbie Ryan makes copious use of 6mm fish-eye lenses, which give the impression of characters lost within an overload of background visual detail. Combined with the whip pans seen throughout the film, the cumulative effect is a world rendered strange, a place of distortions.

Elsewhere, the emotionless and monotone delivery of dialogue has been scaled back from The Lobster (2015) and The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), but everything else you'd expect from Lanthimos is here - the pseudo-omniscient judgemental glare; the absurdist humour; the formal rigidity; the surrealism; the games of psychological one-upmanship; intimate familial conflict; a disorienting score.

In terms of acting, there really are no words to describe how good Colman is. Utterly inhabiting the character, she communicates a sense of both tragic inevitability and a childlike refusal to accept reality. The character could easily have been a grotesque villain or a pitiful broken shell, but Colman finds a nobler middle ground, straddling both interpretations without fully committing to either, moving from one to the other seamlessly throughout the film. Rather than trying to downplay the contradictory facets of the character, Colman leans into them, finding Anne's humanity amidst her least appealing characteristics.

As regards criticisms, although I personally wouldn't class them as flaws, some people will probably dislike the same things that many have disliked in Lanthimos's previous work - formal rigidity, perverse sense of humour, and irredeemable characters being irredeemably horrible to one another. There will also be those who find the obviously intentional anachronisms and historical inaccuracies too much. My biggest issue was that oftentimes the film seemed to be trying trying to work through an identity crisis, unsure of exactly what kind of tone to settle on. Additionally, some of the allegories are never fully fleshed out.

Neither morally enlightening nor historically respectful, The Favourite offers a bleak assessment of humanity's core drives. The characters live in a milieu of egotism, narcissism, sexual cruelty, psychological bullying, and greed. There's barely a hint of sentimentality, and very little that could be called morally righteous. I would have liked it to have more meat on its bones, but at the same time, one cannot deny it presents something of a faithful looking-glass, as Lanthimos continues to corner the market in pointing out not just humanity's worst foibles, but its most bizarre eccentricities.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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8

OlivierPielJan 2, 2019

Move over Barry Lyndon! Lanthimos atomizes Kubrick in this film. What a very witty tour de force. He took almost exactly the same themes and succeeded where Kubrick failed. As a teenager I was in love with that movie, the exquisiteMove over Barry Lyndon! Lanthimos atomizes Kubrick in this film. What a very witty tour de force. He took almost exactly the same themes and succeeded where Kubrick failed. As a teenager I was in love with that movie, the exquisite photography, the incredible tension and the score of course. But Barry Lyndon felt soulless, a form of "anti-cinema", with gorgeous vignettes followed by weak exposition scenes, and atrocious dialogues. Lanthimos remedies all this here. This was the age of the Baroque, of the extravagance. Therefore he introduces a wild, outrageous cinematography that more acutely exposes the decadence of the 17th century aristocracy, than Kubrick's simple homage to classical paintings and music. The scene where Queen Anne tells a small quintet playing atrocious Haendel to bugger off was a nod to this I think. Minus 2 points for the miscasting of Emma Stone. Overacting, too self-aware, too American. Very annoying. Almost ruins this very funny film.… Expand

2 of 10 users found this helpful28

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6

moviemitch96Dec 12, 2018

The director of this film, a Greek director named Yorgos Lanthimos, is known for his very bizarre and absurdist style of plot and filmmaking, and this film is no exception. Being a big fan of his most recent previous films (The Lobster andThe director of this film, a Greek director named Yorgos Lanthimos, is known for his very bizarre and absurdist style of plot and filmmaking, and this film is no exception. Being a big fan of his most recent previous films (The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer), I was really looking forward to this one. Set in early 1700s England, it follows Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) and two young women (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) vying for her admiration and attention as her servants, all in the midst of a war with France. Like I said, the film is very absurdist in nature, and is infused with plenty of deadpan and dark humor, which kept the film interesting and amusing enough at times. In addition, Colman, Stone, and Weisz were all brilliant and spot-on, their performances fitting and adapting to the film's absurdism quite well. Naturally, with its period setting, it was also a very aesthetically pleasing film to watch as well, with lavish production design, costumes, etc. On the flip side, unfortunately, while the film started out so promising, lively, and energetic in the first half, much like a major character that suffers a stroke in the second half, the film began to really slow down and drag, losing much sense of direction, and feeling rather aimless the more it progressed. Overall, aside from a witty (but also cringy at times) screenplay full of dialogue that's somehow humorous and shocking all at once often times, striking performances from the cast, and incredibly detailed production values, I found the film to be rather weak and half-baked in terms of story. Very promising and amusing first half, but a very slack, underwhelming, and disappointing second half that left much to be desired for me.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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8

WaelJan 11, 2019

Great performances from all three lead actresses, and a pleasingly-written screenplay exploring themes such as jealousy and greed, "The Favourite" makes use of some great camera work from Yorgos Lanthimos, and masterful acting particularlyGreat performances from all three lead actresses, and a pleasingly-written screenplay exploring themes such as jealousy and greed, "The Favourite" makes use of some great camera work from Yorgos Lanthimos, and masterful acting particularly from Olivia Colman. It all builds up and comes to a sad-but-true conclusion. Very good movie.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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5

Edward_FApr 21, 2019

The movie is based on one premise that both 'favorites' slept with queen Anna and that was the core of their influence. This is a lie so 80% of the character's motivation is based on the lie and thus this movie is fiction based on realThe movie is based on one premise that both 'favorites' slept with queen Anna and that was the core of their influence. This is a lie so 80% of the character's motivation is based on the lie and thus this movie is fiction based on real events. Costumes are good. Cameraman work is good.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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9

AndremaxFeb 4, 2019

The Favourite has a charming sense of humor that makes film absolutely nice to watch, allied to a genuine epoque's figurine that helps on its immersion and a sense of storytelling worthy of a camp fire that only sins leaving final too muchThe Favourite has a charming sense of humor that makes film absolutely nice to watch, allied to a genuine epoque's figurine that helps on its immersion and a sense of storytelling worthy of a camp fire that only sins leaving final too much arrested if comparing rest of movie.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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9

marcmyworksFeb 5, 2019

A stellar film with a great ensemble cast. The favourite adds a touch of modern humour to an Elizabethan drama. Overall I quite enjoyed the overt sexuality played, though at times it seemed to take over the narrative.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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8

SrPepeFeb 24, 2019

Una película muy buena, muy bien filmada con gran escenografía y actuaciones asombrosas. La historia también es muy buena.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

SyklatFeb 6, 2019

Abigail (Emma Stone)’in saraya girmesiyle geçirdiği evreleri bölümlere ayıran filmde 3 kadının entrikalarını ve aşk üçgenini izliyoruz. Köpekdişi ile sıradışılığına şahit olduğumuz yönetmen Yorgos Lanthimos'un bu filmindeki tavrı da hemenAbigail (Emma Stone)’in saraya girmesiyle geçirdiği evreleri bölümlere ayıran filmde 3 kadının entrikalarını ve aşk üçgenini izliyoruz. Köpekdişi ile sıradışılığına şahit olduğumuz yönetmen Yorgos Lanthimos'un bu filmindeki tavrı da hemen dikkat çekiyor. Bazen Eisenstein'in kurgu kuramı bazen de çapraz kurgu filmde tadında bırakılmış. Dolly kamera hareketlerinin de bir o kadar etkili olduğunu söyleyebilirim fakat balıkgözü lens için aynı şeyleri söyleyemeyeceğim. Olivia Colman'ın (Queen Anne) devleştiği filmde sanat tasarımı da bir o kadar iyiydi.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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9

alejandro970Feb 10, 2019

Filthy, gross, corrosive. Never after the royalty was so mythbusted in such way, with strong performances and dark humor that someone does´nt know if cry or laugh. One of big shots for next Acedemy Awards. Rush or else.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

AMFcriticJan 12, 2019

The Favorite is a difficult movie to classify, but the easiest thing would be to say that it is a "tragi-comedy", a story in which bad things happen, horrible things, sad things, but all that is no reason not to laugh.
And Yorgos LanthimosThe Favorite is a difficult movie to classify, but the easiest thing would be to say that it is a "tragi-comedy", a story in which bad things happen, horrible things, sad things, but all that is no reason not to laugh.
And Yorgos Lanthimos does not miss the opportunity to take a laugh, while showing us how a Queen in poor health loses connection with her lifelong confidant, and has a fight with her own feelings when a servant infiltrates her relationship to make some "changes". Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz give us a triangle of "confidence" and three performances to remember. 88.2 / 100 (8)… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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9

cameronhalmansJan 9, 2019

Devilishly amusing, Yorgos Lanthimos delivers The Favourite, one of the best films of the year. With incredible performances and breathtakingly creative cenimatography, The Favourite delivers on almost every aspect of a good film.

92/100

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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9

AnnyunFeb 17, 2019

Excellent acting performances by all the actors. The expressions that Emma Stone got on her face were on point. Cinematography was breath taking. Script is extremely well written. Lovely how sensuality was used as an imagery of politicalExcellent acting performances by all the actors. The expressions that Emma Stone got on her face were on point. Cinematography was breath taking. Script is extremely well written. Lovely how sensuality was used as an imagery of political power. Felt like a Shakespearean drama containing comedy of the Elizabethan era.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

Vitor007Feb 23, 2019

The film brings a beautiful adaptation of scenery, with makeup and costumes very well directed. It is not nauseative, but its history loses intensity with its conclusion, not containing much coherence for the general public, besides havingThe film brings a beautiful adaptation of scenery, with makeup and costumes very well directed. It is not nauseative, but its history loses intensity with its conclusion, not containing much coherence for the general public, besides having numerous exchanges of the genre of comedy for drama or vice versa. All performances are noteworthy. 8.4/10… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

m15964Feb 15, 2019

Really pleasant to watch Weisz and Stone playing as supporting actresses at this great movie. The Favorite has a full of details senario and it's delightful to watch that every scene of the movie has lots of details too. I think every singleReally pleasant to watch Weisz and Stone playing as supporting actresses at this great movie. The Favorite has a full of details senario and it's delightful to watch that every scene of the movie has lots of details too. I think every single thing in this movie is just following the script, that written as a well done job. The direction is at the best part of professional work. Finally, everything is at a high level in this movie. MUST WATCH!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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8

AJGo85Feb 27, 2019

“Favour is a breeze that shifts direction all the time.”

At first glance The Favourite might seem to be just another British costume drama but this very R-rated story about the private relationships of Queen Anne absolutely subverts genre“Favour is a breeze that shifts direction all the time.”

At first glance The Favourite might seem to be just another British costume drama but this very R-rated story about the private relationships of Queen Anne absolutely subverts genre expectations. Everything from the stylistic choices to the characters make this a darkly comedic, vulgar, and wonderfully outrageous film. This is one of my favorite films of 2018. It is so totally engrossing with such memorable characters and scenes (especially an elaborate and ludicrous dance) that I had to see it twice.

Queen Anne ruled England from 1702 to 1714. The highlight of her reign was overseeing the union of England and Scotland in 1707 (creating the kingdom of Great Britain), something no previous English king had managed to achieve. This film focuses not so much on history but speculates on her personal relationships. Her closest friend since childhood, Lady Sarah Marlborough (Rachel Weisz), acts as Anne’s caregiver, companion, adviser, and lover. She even runs the country for Anne. Lady Sarah’s status is challenged when her cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone), begins to work her way into the Queen’s favor.

Anne may have had a royal life but it was not an easy one. She suffered through 17 miscarriages, still births, and untimely infant deaths, the death of her husband, and many physical ailments. She was the last monarch of the House of Stuart and only 49 when she died. Olivia Colman wonderfully portrays Queen Anne as a fragile, wounded soul searching for small moments of happiness, and also capable of acting like a spoiled child or a mad monarch at any given moment. Though Anne is more of a supporting character, Colman has picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She’s so good I can’t complain about her being in the wrong category.

Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are really the leads but they have each been nominated in the Supporting Actress category. Each actress gives the best performance of her career, though each already has an Oscar for a movie and performance I didn’t particularly care for (Emma Stone-La La Land) and a movie and performance I keep forgetting exists (Rachel Weisz-The Constant Gardener). Lady Sarah and Abigail offer Anne different kinds of love: Lady Sarah tells Anne the truth even if it is harsh and unpleasant, Abigail always flatters Anne. Weisz has no problem going from loving and sweet to stern and even cruel. She delivers crude, acerbic insults with deft ease. Weisz is also quite comfortable and easily believable as an intelligent, capable woman in power—using that power often and effectively—controlling and besting her male political counterparts. Both Weisz’s Lady Sarah and Stone’s Abigail manipulate Queen Anne for their own gain, but Abigail is the more insidious of the pair. Emma Stone has never had a role like this before. Her character is clever, funny, and charming, and also devious, selfish, and quite unlikable. Stone does a great job handling all the different facets Abigail. Director Yorgos Lanthimos and cinematographer Robbie Ryan make frequent use of fish-eye lens and canted angles to keep the audience off balance. They use slow motion for particular moments and holds on close ups of faces when the instinct of any other period movie would be to show as much as possible. The costumes by Sandy Powell look fresh and unique and not just like the costumes we see on a regular basis in period pieces. Lady Sarah, as a woman in power, is an unconventional character for her time and she has unconventional costumes to match. Her shooting outfit, which includes a hat and trousers, is the most memorable costume in the movie. Even the costumes for the men have interesting flourishes. Big, long crazy wigs were very in style. The foppish opposition party, led by Nicholas Hoult, even powder their faces. “A man must make himself look pretty,” he says.

Yorgos Lanthimos's previous films include the bizarre Dogtooth and the love it or hate it The Lobster (I hated it). This is easily his most mainstream movie, which is saying something since The Favourite might be the most unconventional period movie since Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Unlike his previous films, Lanthimos did not pen the screenplay (Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara wrote The Favourite's Oscar nominated original screenplay); this might be why the material is palatable. There is just the right blend of humor and melancholy in The Favourite, but as the film goes on it moves into dour territory in the third act. It is as if Lanthimos couldn't let a whole film go by without injecting some of his dour, bleak sensibility. Still, I very much recommend The Favourite for its fresh take on an established genre and the brilliant performances by Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Stone. Even as they are being outrageous and vindictive, these people are a delight to watch.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

GRHJan 19, 2019

I was hoping to be knocked out by this. Enjoyable performances. Not as whacky as I hoped for. Some audiences members found the sweary or crude stuff hilarious. I only smiled.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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10

alsgoreJan 22, 2019

It is a parabel about our time:
Queen Anne represents spoiled rudderless Europe. Abigail is Germany: financial and moral bankrupt after 2 wars but still managed to take over the power in present day Europe. At the expense of the exiled SarahIt is a parabel about our time:
Queen Anne represents spoiled rudderless Europe. Abigail is Germany: financial and moral bankrupt after 2 wars but still managed to take over the power in present day Europe. At the expense of the exiled Sarah who is Greece,(like the director of this movie). Greece, once the cradle of European culture, but now bankrupt and on the leash by Germany... Lanthimos has put a big Greek stamp on this British story.
I didn't like the very wide observation camera angles, but they referred to this age.
No Oscar material movie but the acting makes it worth seeing.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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8

alvindinoMar 11, 2019

Trying to flirt with contemporary problems through historical images that violently violate many rules of a film period piece. This film looks at the dynamics between class, love, and politics - wrapping it in comedy, making it a spectacleTrying to flirt with contemporary problems through historical images that violently violate many rules of a film period piece. This film looks at the dynamics between class, love, and politics - wrapping it in comedy, making it a spectacle that is not shy and not ashamed to show what can happen - and maybe happening around us. All the performances here are amazing, we have seen the achievement of this film in the award season ago. This film encourages us to consider options, not to choose the easiest.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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10

Filmix16Mar 10, 2019

Le scénario de se film est riche puissant et complet.La direction photo est a couper le souffle.Yorgos Lanthimos offre tout un spectcle a la fois humoristique et dramatique.Emma stone donne tout un numéro,il aurais fallu qu’elle soitLe scénario de se film est riche puissant et complet.La direction photo est a couper le souffle.Yorgos Lanthimos offre tout un spectcle a la fois humoristique et dramatique.Emma stone donne tout un numéro,il aurais fallu qu’elle soit oscariser pour sa performance.L’histoire du film est très développer et original.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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10

BrunoVn00Mar 30, 2019

My personal favorite movie of 2018. "The Favourite" directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is an amazing movie about cousins Abigail Hill and Sarah Churchill vying to become Queen Anne's favourite.

The Good: -The acting. Emma Stone, Olivia Colman andMy personal favorite movie of 2018. "The Favourite" directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is an amazing movie about cousins Abigail Hill and Sarah Churchill vying to become Queen Anne's favourite.

The Good:
-The acting. Emma Stone, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz are amazing in this movie, but Olvia Colman as Queen Anne steals the show and I'm happy that she won the Academy Award. Her acting might be a little exagerated and over-the-top at some points, but Queen Anne is not just a "cartoon" of a character, she actually has a backstory and a reason to act the way she acts (this is a spoiler-free review, so obviosuly I won't mention it). Emma Stone also did a great job and if she was the lead, I guess she could've taken the award instead.
-The directing is so good, I like how this movie is shot. It has so many "dynamic" shots in so many scenes that makes a normal two-people conversation actually visually interesting. If Alfonso Cuarón wasn't nominated for Best Director at the Oscars for his work on Roma, I think Lanthimos could've win the award. I loved the cinematography overall, the color palette fits the mood and time period of the movie and the costumes and sets are all pretty good.
-The script is good. The movie is not as funny as I thought it would be but it is never boring, there's always something interesting happening on screen, the characters are well developed and written, that's why the acting is amazing and the dialogue is also pretty good.
-I liked the score. Yes, it's nothing too amazing or innovative, but it fits well the movie and the tone.

The Bad:
-Honestly I don't have any complaints with this movie. Maybe as a stupid nitpick, the texts that indicates the beggining of a new act are a little hard to read, but maybe it's just me.
-I guess the ending was a little disappointing, but that doesn't ruin the movie, nor my opinion on it.

This was my choice for Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars, but I guess I understand why Green Book won instead. This is an amazing movie that tells you an interesting story, but that's it, it's not a movie that tries to change your mind or anything and while I think it's better than Green Book overall, maybe that movie won the big prize for its subject matter.… Expand

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8

Thibor62Jun 9, 2019

Three actresses in a state of grace in a great and risk film. Her set design for the feature film is fantastic!!!!

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7

Voodoo123Mar 12, 2023

+Superb cinematography and setting
+Great casting choices
+Very good soundtrack and pacing -/+Prefers modern dramatic style over historical accuracy I enjoyed watching this. Choosing entertaining drama over accuracy, I found this compelling+Superb cinematography and setting
+Great casting choices
+Very good soundtrack and pacing
-/+Prefers modern dramatic style over historical accuracy

I enjoyed watching this. Choosing entertaining drama over accuracy, I found this compelling if unchallenging to see. Most of the interesting inter sexual/hierarchical interactions are simmered into a simple game of winning favour over the queens attention. Seems there is ittle nuance in how the screenplay and direction portrays this and yet I couldn't stop watching to the end.… Expand

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7

aliceinwonderlaNov 24, 2021

It's fine but could've been much better. Rachel Weisz was the best thing about it and I have no idea why critics pushed Olivia Colman so much. She was fine but nothing outstanding. Didn't really deserve the Oscar and wasn't even lead.

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2

rockytopthadJan 22, 2023

Lower your expectations (bc of a “critics 91”) and it’s watchable. Yes, the acting is an A+ but there is an absence of even a single likeable character. That alone doesn’t make it a 2/10 but it doesn’t help. The audience only sees theLower your expectations (bc of a “critics 91”) and it’s watchable. Yes, the acting is an A+ but there is an absence of even a single likeable character. That alone doesn’t make it a 2/10 but it doesn’t help. The audience only sees the development of 3 characters. All others are minor and quite forgettable. It could be enjoyable if there were any suspense, emotionality, romance, or tragedy. This film left me empty.… Expand

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9

eva3si0nDec 5, 2020

The Favourite is a great movie. For a long time I did not catch such a high from modern cinema. It seems to be so simple, but so brilliantly served. For some time, the director shows that when the main character suffers, this does not makeThe Favourite is a great movie. For a long time I did not catch such a high from modern cinema. It seems to be so simple, but so brilliantly served. For some time, the director shows that when the main character suffers, this does not make him a protagonist, thereby lobbing established norms. Olivia Colman in this film showed his beautiful acting, one of the strongest actresses in the UK. Thank you Yorgos Lanthimos for a great movie.… Expand

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2

rob25XMay 14, 2021

Beautifully shot but terrible in every other way. One of the weirdest and most offensive films I have ever seen. How it won awards and received a 15 certificate I don't know. 2/10

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9

LegitSaltMay 3, 2020

Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) is an excellent Greek director and is making some of the most provocative and well-oiled films today. The Favourite is a period piece comedy recounting the love triangle between three highly ranked andYorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) is an excellent Greek director and is making some of the most provocative and well-oiled films today. The Favourite is a period piece comedy recounting the love triangle between three highly ranked and influential women. The Favourite explores the controlling elements of love and how love can be used as both a constructive and destructive force. Lanthimos creates fleshed out and complex characters in this film, each one having independently unique and divergent motivations and agendas. With this said, The Favourite is also a tale about how conflicting agendas resolve themselves. The three leading women are phenomenal. While they do play up their performances to a certain degree, the performances they end up giving suit the vein of the movie exactly. The dark comedy and subtly vengefully romantic writing are great and overwhelmingly consistent. The cinematography especially was not only experimental but also well-constructed. The Favourite offers an unparalleled, unmissable experience.… Expand

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1

Mikibruno02Nov 8, 2020

Without words. Great expectation for this film ... I must say that the first fifteen minutes took me quite a bit because of the great atmosphere, music and costumes. However, everything else is null and void. The plot is ABERRANT, the scriptWithout words. Great expectation for this film ... I must say that the first fifteen minutes took me quite a bit because of the great atmosphere, music and costumes. However, everything else is null and void. The plot is ABERRANT, the script unclassifiable or classifiable as ABOMINABLE. Costumes and Scenography, however, do not find any help, in my evaluation where everything else is 0. Overall rating: 1
Precise, to date it is among the 10 worst films ever seen! Oscar award for costumes, ok, but for me, despite the good results of the costumes, you couldn't present a crap like this movie at the Academy.… Expand

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3

sabbrinaskyJun 11, 2019

1 star for Emma Stone - well played character (At first I thought that she would be the "good" character but then I kinda started hating her two faced persona. Really grabbed my attention with that!)
1 star for the interesting angles1 star for Emma Stone - well played character (At first I thought that she would be the "good" character but then I kinda started hating her two faced persona. Really grabbed my attention with that!)
1 star for the interesting angles (cinematography I guess)
1 star for the idea how a person can go back and forth in society and that in the end it doesn't even matter Overall, the story was interesting but somehow the movie was too... slow and bland.… Expand

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