I've only seen one of Yorgos Lanthimos' films, but that one film impressed me enough to be very excited for The Favourite. Where his other film I've seen, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, made its mark through its strangeness and unsettling tone, The Favourite is successful in its absurdity and hilariousness from start to finish.
This is the first of his films that Lanthimos didn't write, but it still feels very much like his writing style. It is set in Victorian England and follows two women, played by Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, competing for the affection of the queen. Weisz's character Sarah has been close to the queen for ages, so when Emma Stone's Abigail starts getting closer and closer to the queen tensions flair between the two.
The acting in this film is fantastic all around. The queen is played by Olivia Colman, and of man is she funny. Her performance is over the top and very whiny, but the absurdity she gives it makes it hilarious rather than annoying. I think she's a shoe in for a best actress nomination and it would be well deserved, as this is great work. Rachel Weisz fills her role perfectly. Her posh demeanor comes across incredibly well and it's clear that even when her character is at her worst she is the most stone cold bitch in the room. Colman is clearly having fun complaining and yelling, and Weisz is clearly having a blast being ruthless. Emma Stone's character starts off fairly innocent, which makes her turn to a savage cat and mouse game with Weisz all the more surprising. There is a point in the film where she clearly shifts from the innocent to the empowered, and she gives a phenomenal performance. Much like Colman, I think Weisz and Stone will both get best supporting actress nominations, and they both deserve it. I don't know whose performance I like more but the back and forth between them is amazing. Unfortunately unlikely to receive an Oscar nomination is Nicholas Hoult. He plays one of the queen's higher ups, and much like the others gives a hilariously absurd performance that I thought was fantastic.
Alongside these performances is a film that as a whole is just as deviant and absurd as its cast. The camerawork is excellent, and in many cases bizarre. Some may see that as a negative but I found the absurd cinematography worked beautifully in tandem with the story and characters. As I said before, this film isn't written by Lanthimos, yet it still feels as though it was, thanks to very quick and matter of fact dialogue. Despite not writing the film, his touch is undoubtedly felt from the director's chair. The way he stages many scenes, especially ones heavy on conversation reminded me a lot of The Killing of a Sacred Deer, with many low angled shots with the actors staring off-screen. Not only does this staging work really well, but the low-angle cinematography empowers the characters occupying the frame, which in tandem with the narrative clearly outlines the power balance. Perhaps the best thing about seeing this film in a theatre, is the confusion it gives old people. Being a period piece, it is the kind of film that many elders go out to see, but about ten minutes in you can feel the confusion amongst them as they realize it is no normal period piece.
I really loved this film. The characters are great and the absurdity in terms of acting, writing, and production all make for a great time. From what I've heard this is also Lanthimos' most widely accessible film so far, so give it a shot and you may just find a new filmmaker to enjoy.
Rating: 4.4/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
This is the first of his films that Lanthimos didn't write, but it still feels very much like his writing style. It is set in Victorian England and follows two women, played by Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, competing for the affection of the queen. Weisz's character Sarah has been close to the queen for ages, so when Emma Stone's Abigail starts getting closer and closer to the queen tensions flair between the two.
The acting in this film is fantastic all around. The queen is played by Olivia Colman, and of man is she funny. Her performance is over the top and very whiny, but the absurdity she gives it makes it hilarious rather than annoying. I think she's a shoe in for a best actress nomination and it would be well deserved, as this is great work. Rachel Weisz fills her role perfectly. Her posh demeanor comes across incredibly well and it's clear that even when her character is at her worst she is the most stone cold bitch in the room. Colman is clearly having fun complaining and yelling, and Weisz is clearly having a blast being ruthless. Emma Stone's character starts off fairly innocent, which makes her turn to a savage cat and mouse game with Weisz all the more surprising. There is a point in the film where she clearly shifts from the innocent to the empowered, and she gives a phenomenal performance. Much like Colman, I think Weisz and Stone will both get best supporting actress nominations, and they both deserve it. I don't know whose performance I like more but the back and forth between them is amazing. Unfortunately unlikely to receive an Oscar nomination is Nicholas Hoult. He plays one of the queen's higher ups, and much like the others gives a hilariously absurd performance that I thought was fantastic.
Alongside these performances is a film that as a whole is just as deviant and absurd as its cast. The camerawork is excellent, and in many cases bizarre. Some may see that as a negative but I found the absurd cinematography worked beautifully in tandem with the story and characters. As I said before, this film isn't written by Lanthimos, yet it still feels as though it was, thanks to very quick and matter of fact dialogue. Despite not writing the film, his touch is undoubtedly felt from the director's chair. The way he stages many scenes, especially ones heavy on conversation reminded me a lot of The Killing of a Sacred Deer, with many low angled shots with the actors staring off-screen. Not only does this staging work really well, but the low-angle cinematography empowers the characters occupying the frame, which in tandem with the narrative clearly outlines the power balance. Perhaps the best thing about seeing this film in a theatre, is the confusion it gives old people. Being a period piece, it is the kind of film that many elders go out to see, but about ten minutes in you can feel the confusion amongst them as they realize it is no normal period piece.
I really loved this film. The characters are great and the absurdity in terms of acting, writing, and production all make for a great time. From what I've heard this is also Lanthimos' most widely accessible film so far, so give it a shot and you may just find a new filmmaker to enjoy.
Rating: 4.4/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
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