'The Favourite': Yorgos Lanthimos' Stellar Masterpiece

I went into The Favourite, as others may have, without much knowledge of the film's backstory. As a period drama, you expect certain things, certain clichés. Judging by the trailer, I knew that this film would be something different. Something more. And I was right.

From the opening credits onwards, The Favourite is unconventional and flavourful. The film is sectioned into chapters, presented with unique titles, as if the audience is watching a novel unfold in front of them, further accentuating Lanthimos’ position as an absolute auteur. His direction is wild, innovative and – at times – bizarre. The occasional use of a fish eye lens might have been distracting, but in this case only works to highlight the wide spaces and intricate set designs which are bursting with character, creating something that is more of an experience than a film. One does not watch The Favourite – rather, one is transported into a world where elaborate 18^thcentury clothing, ridiculous dancing, cake-eating rabbits, and excellent variations of the word ‘cunt’ go together as naturally as fish to the sea.

Weisz and Stone give terrific performances as rivals to Queen Anne’s affection, with the real tension and action almost always bubbling away just below the surface, carrying their characters with enough subtlety and conviction so that we can read a hundred lines of dialogue just through one pointed look - or, in Stone’s case, through just one scoff. Weisz is an indomitable force as Sarah Churchill who, when threatened, seems to transform before us from the Queen’s confidant, quietly running things, into a powerful figure whose presence onscreen is almost palpable. Abigail, her younger cousin played by Stone, is a sweeter sort of nasty, portraying an 18^th century mean girl who conspires to get what she wants with ease and maturity.

However, Colman steals the show as the tragic, almost child-like Anne, who is so desperately pathetic and wanting that it is at times unbearable. However, there is also an enormous amount of power in this character, with Colman’s performance bringing her to life as a complex and beautifully wretched creature.

The dynamic between the three leading actresses is by far the most fascinating part of this film, but the rest of the cast is not to be forgotten. With outstanding supporting roles from Nicholas Hoult as the scheming Robert Harley – often acting with great skill as the film’s comic relief – and Joe Alwyn as the hilariously dumb Samuel Masham, this ensemble is a force not to be reckoned with.

Although at times it feels that The Favourite could be slightly cut down, with its run time of just over two hours starting to drag its feet a little towards the end, there is little else to be corrected in this masterpiece of filmmaking. And with Lanthimos’ fresh direction, and cinematography that is constantly engaging, The Favourite is an absolute must-see for anyone who enjoys masterful storytelling, vibrant characters, and most importantly: rabbits.