The Favourite **** (2018, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn, Mark Gatiss) – Movie Review 

The Favourite (2018) is a most elegant, sophisticated and hugely entertaining dark comedy drama from director Yorgos Lanthimos. I was going to say it is a true original, but then it is very much like a Peter Greenaway film, especially The Draughtman’s Contract.

Like Greenaway, Lanthimos is out to shock us, just a little anyway, with a little strong sexual content, nudity and very strong language, all at odds with the beauty he shows in the settings all around his characters. He does that part of the job stylishly and amusingly.

There are three brilliant female characters at the centre of the drama, all of them brilliantly performed by actresses who know a good thing when they see one, and grab their chances eagerly and winningly. How good they are!

A right royal Olivia Colman stars as 18th century English Queen Anne, who has terrible troubles with her legs, and occupies the duties of the throne with the help of her very close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), who is more or less ruling the nation in her place. Enter Emma Stone as Abigail, a former lady fallen on hard times, literally in the mud and shit at the start of the film when she arrives at the royal palace, and is taken on Sarah as her new servant after she eases the Queen’s leg pain with a herbal remedy. Abigail is a mix of great cheek and charm, but she is a noxious mix, is is pretty soon going to be Sarah’s rival for the attentions and affections of the Queen.

Lanthimos really does relish this story, and so do the actors, and then so do we. It is as simple as that. I’d like to pick out one of the actresses as being better than the others, but I can’t. Colman, Weisz and Stone are all just great, all maybe just a tiny bit better even than their usual fine selves. Being in such fine, regal company has raised their game.

The men’s roles are subsidiary, though there is just about space for an excellent Nicholas Hoult (doing what sounds like a Hugh Grant impersonation) as Harley, spitting out those epigrams with Wildean vigour, Joe Alwyn as Masham, Mark Gatiss as Lord Marlborough and James Smith as Godolphin.

The lovely, witty screenplay is written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. The beautiful production design is by Fiona Crombie, the dazzling costume design is by Sandy Powell, and the exciting cinematography is by Robbie Ryan. It is a formally glorious looking movie – just grand.

The Favourite is certainly one of the favourites at the 2018 London Film Festival.

It was nominated for five Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Olivia Colman), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Rachel Weisz) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Emma Stone). It won just one: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Olivia Colman).

It was nominated for ten London Critics Circle Film Awards, and won four, including best actress for Olivia Colman, best supporting actress for Rachel Weisz and the screenplay prize for co-writers Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, as well as British/Irish film of the year.

The Favourite won awards in seven categories at the 72nd British Film Awards, including Outstanding British Film. Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz received awards for their performances.

It had 10 Oscar nominations, but won just one: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Olivia Colman).

The Favourite won eight awards at the 32nd European Film Awards. It won Best European Film 2019 and Best European Comedy 2019, Olivia Colman won Best European Actress and Yorgos Lanthimos won Best European Director.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review 

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com