The Favourite

2018, 1080hd

The Favourite is a drama where Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) runs 18th century England although she is ailing and the country is run in lieu by her friend Lady Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) as the country is on the verge of war with France. Abigail (Emma Stone) is formerly from a good family who knew Lady Marlborough but those days are long over as she starts as a servant. She quickly impresses the Lady and she makes Abigail her maid but Abigail is ambitious and wants to get back to what she believes is her place in society. She finds out that the Queen and the Lady are having an affair and she uses that information to plot her way into the Queen's good books. She is also courted by Masham (Joe Alwyn) who wants her but cannot marry below his station. When the Lady finds Abigail has usurped her in the Queen's bed, she demotes her back to servant but Abigail uses her new found leverage to become the Queen's maid. The Lady and Abigail go tit-for-tat in a petty feud which ends badly for the Lady but it might also end badly for Abigail.

I've been a bit of a latecomer to the films of director Yorgos Lanthimos and Dogtooth, The Lobster and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer are pretty decent but also very odd movies and The Favourite continues on that tradition. The three lead actresses are all great, leading with Oscar winner Olivia Colman, but Emma Stone seems fairly underrated for her work here as she plays a conniving character quite well. Yes, it's a period movie but one that is very different from the usual period movie, with a fair amount of black humour and very odd moments throughout. Well worth a look.

Emma Stone film clip (collages below)