(spoiler free)
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos returns to the big screen with period drama, comedy ‘The Favourite’, starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. The film is about Queen Anne (Coleman) and her reign during wartime with France. Instead of focusing on the military action on the front line ‘The Favourite’ showcases the politics within the royal residence as two cousins Sarah (Weisz) & Abigail (Stone) fight for the approval of their Queen in their attempts to become and remain established court favourites.
The three main actresses are excellent. We already know that, but here they bring this screenplay to life in extremely entertaining fashion. Their performances are mental, this is much the result of the whimsical script they are presented with but their work sells this off the wall content with a confidence not all would have been capable of. They have an electric chemistry that makes way for a lot of comedy, especially so in the films mid section. It’s this comedy within each of their performances that proves most memorable but they offer more than just humour, delivering some unexpectedly emotionally dramatic scenes too. Whilst the three main actresses demand audiences attention the remaining supporting cast are good too. Nicolas Hoult stands out most as Robert Harley, the leader of the opposition. With his scenes he always brings an energy and freshness to the proceedings which at times do become sluggish, more on that later.
Those familiar with the previous filmography of Lanthimos will know that his films are far from ordinary, ‘The Favourite’ is no exception. Those expecting a dull period drama can think again. The screenplay, penned by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara is as wacky as they come and very typical of a Lanthimos film. The comedy, as odd as it is works and the overall story is compelling, for the most part. It has to be said that despite the captivating performances and often brilliant humour ‘The Favourite’ does experience some pacing problems. It has several lulls and slightly overstays its welcome, somewhat of a trend with Lanthimos’ films in general. However, when it’s firing on all cylinders it’s wildly entertaining and even in these less engaging moments the film at least looks the part. The exquisite costume design and locations of Hatfield House and Hampton Court Palace give the film that regal feeling appropriate for such a story. Lanthimos uses a fisheye lens in several scenes too often capturing the vastness of the locations but feeling focused on the three central characters and the chaos they bring to each other.
So whilst Lanthimos hasn’t yet fully mastered the art of a perfectly paced film he continues to deliver on his trademark of weird and wonderful. Colman, Weisz and Stone excel in their roles providing a tantalizing trio of performances and audiences should have as much fun as it’s clear that these three are having themselves. The screenplay could have done with some fine tuning but nonetheless delivers much comedy and entertainment, already a favourite this awards season expect to hear plenty about this period drama in the months to come.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 7/10
Question: What is your favourite Yorgos Lanthimos film?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
Thanks for reading this review and please let us know what you thought about the movie! Leave a comment below or drop us a tweet over at @HCMovieReviews.
Thanks to Movie House Cinemas for screening access
HCMovieReviews 
Leave a comment