The Favourite: How Goes the Kingdom?

“Love has limits.” “It should not.”

Coming two years after his Oscar-nominated film, The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimos directs a period-piece drama filled with his familiar explorations of absurdity, power dynamics, sex, dark humor, and “extreme unpleasantness.”

The Favourite, written by Tony McNamara and Deborah Davis, is a story of vicious drama and royal ridiculousness, where everyone dances, over-dines, over-drinks, and races award-winning ducks (shoutout Horatio.) The men even wear highly volumized and unflattering wigs which tower towards the heavens. Living among this extravagance, Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman, occupies a small space in her high-ceilinged and beautifully tapestried room. She is the most powerful person in England, but an air of vulnerability and inconsolable sadness looms over her always. Her strength lies in the company of those around her, among them being the straight-forward and confident Sarah Churchill, played by Rachel Weisz. That is until Abigail Hill, Churchill’s younger cousin played by Emma Stone, arrives determined to create her own rags-to-riches story.

The relationship between the queen and the two women are the heart of the story. It is constantly evolving, best summed up by politician Mr. Harley, played by Nicholas Hoult: “Favour is a breeze that shifts direction all the time.” That being said, whoever is in the queen’s favor is in the ear of the queen. And whoever is in the ear of the queen, amongst other things, is not only in control of the queen, but of England.

Lanthimos gets the very best out of everyone above and below the line. The royal trio of Colman, Weisz, and Stone work together in tension-filled harmony, each displaying great levels of vulnerability, strength, and confidence. These performances are only elevated by the crackling script with plenty of biting dialogue to chew on.

This wicked romantic drama is juxtaposed by beautiful settings, music, and popping cinematography. The visual beauty is further juxtaposed by the story’s deep exploration of loneliness and desire, and with it, the idea that you don’t have to be alone to feel lonesome. Loneliness knows no stranger, even those with extreme wealth and absolute power. None know this better than Queen Anne. For someone who lives beneath garments of fine silk and gold, Queen Anne desires what we all do- unrequited and unconditional love. And it is that exact desire that compels whom she keeps closest to.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The script sings. The performances are extraordinary. Editing, cinematography, and music meld together perfectly in this 18th century drama. It is a gem in the crown of the queen and an extremely pleasant watch. The kingdom is well.