In a shaky year of filmmaking, “The Favourite” finished with a home run. Greek visionary Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Killing of a Sacred Deer”) directs this unique story about a royal power struggle in 18th-century England. The small cast is led wonderfully by the female trio of Olivia Colman (“The Night Manager”), Rachel Weisz (“Disobedience”) and Emma Stone (“Maniac”).
As is typical of Lanthimos, this movie is an extremely original yet bizarre tale. His first success was with the quirky and dark 2016 sci-fi romance “The Lobster.” The unique style he uses might not be everyone’s cup of tea, as it is openly vulgar and widely expressive, but Lanthimos’ potential is limitless due his glorified understanding of the art of cinema.
“The Favourite” is a black comedy depicting a frail, oblivious Queen (Colman), her adviser Sarah (Weisz), and a hard-headed servant named Abigail (Stone). Colman beautifully transforms into her role. She effortlessly portrays the qualities of a delusional old monarch who seems to be more concerned with eating, her feet and rabbits than ruling. Similarly, Weisz and Stone play off each other like instruments, stealing every scene from each other respectively. All three women received well-deserved Oscar nominations for their performances.
The script by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara is witty and fast paced. The characters feel organic to the story, and the cast has more freedom with their roles. Davis and McNamara have a full grasp on the art of satire, with subtle humor frequently being used and many quotable lines that exaggerate the ridiculousness of the situations at hand. The strong script allows Lanthimos to take more creative risks, which helps further his directorial development.
Robbie Ryan (“The Meyerowitz Stories: New and Untold”) does an astonishing job with the cinematography. The extreme close-ups show the emotional range of the leads, causing deeply uncomfortable feelings for the viewer. The camera angles used in the film are highly unorthodox and make viewers feel like flies on the wall. The use of advanced rigs, varied lenses and fluid camera movements felt smooth and elaborate. Ryan’s contributions brought out new elements to the turbulent story by using advanced technology.
The score is highly effective at setting the tone of treachery and deception that occurs in the film. It is filled with numerous dissonant, eerie pieces of music ranging from Bach to Vivaldi. These compositions further the tension during the climactic scenes.
Sandy Powell (“Mary Poppins Returns”) turns back time with her diverse costume design. The wigs, dresses and other outfits seamlessly fit the period. The extravagant dresses of Queen Anne clashed with her inner tumultuous feelings. Class represented power in that time, and Powell’s work establishes a framework for who was in control.
This film represents everything wrong with hierarchies. The collective crew of the movie effectively recreated a historical tale of deceit. Tying “Roma” with 10 Oscar nominations, it might be “The Favourite” to win some Academy Awards.
Image from Continuum Films via YouTube
