The Favourite

       As the frail Queene Anne falls into illness, her right-hand woman, Lady Sarah, takes care of her while also simultaneously filling in for her as the country moves forward into war with France. A cousin of Sarah's shows up looking for employment due to her family's recent falling under and Sarah offers her employment as a maid. Abigal, the cousin, is looking to rebuild herself as a member of aristocratic society and her charm proves to be admirable for Queene Anne.

       I saw this movie at an early access screening here in Salt Lake last night and I was fortunate enough to have gotten my ticket earlier in the day. When I arrived at the theater, there was a long line at the box office and many people were disheartened when they announced that they had sold out of tickets. Many were there on the recommendation of friends and also because they were most likely more into films than the average movie-goer. With a packed theater, the movie began to play and although many people were still filing in about 5 minutes after the movie had started, I was hooked until the end. There were numerous moments of people who would talk during the film (which is my biggest pet peeve), but my attention towards the movie was never disrupted.

       I absolutely loved this movie. Colman, Weisz, and Stone prove to be powerhouses in this period piece and their undeniable chemistry is the movie's most admirable quality. One can probably ascertain that the title "The Favourite" means that there is tension between Sarah and Abigal. Both are fighting over the favoritism of Queene Anne, but there is a lot more to it than that. The trailers only show the surface of what goes on between the three characters; marketing the characters as cats who are being petty towards each other, but the actions do not stop there. The film goes incredibly deeper into the relationship between the 3 characters, especially between Queene Anne and Sarah and it might not be what you expect. As the film goes on, you start to question who you're supposed to be rooting for. Towards the beginning of the movie, you are manipulated into thinking that Abigal is the one who should be triumphant, but then you start to question that initial feeling. Soon, Sarah starts to show a darker side of herself and this idea can basically explain the whole movie. You might think you know what you're getting yourself into, but eventually, you start to see the ugly sides of everything. This film, over time, descends into a darkness that takes the form of harsh on-screen imagery. The truly darkest sides of the two characters fighting for the love of Queene Anne comes out and you start to concern yourself with the safety of Colman's character.
       This is somewhat of an ugly film. Some things are hard to watch. I'm not sure how accurate some of the brutality is to early 18th century English custom, but it's there and it adds to that griminess of the movie. 

       This descent into darkness might've been predictable for some viewers. This film is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and, although I'm familiar with the name, I have never seen another one of his films. His previous works include The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer and, as I have been lead to believe, he is known for having a style that is unorthodox in his execution and narrative. If this is wrong please correct me, but this film, I'm sure, proves great for those who are familiar with Lanthimos's filmography.
       This movie isn't just brutally dark though. First and foremost, it is a comedy and it succeeds in that aspect. You're lightheartedly lead down this path so that, at least for me, you begin to fall in love with the setting and with the wittiness of each character. I wouldn't label this movie as strictly a comedy. When mixed with the brutal nature of all the characters and story, this movie is better labeled as a dark comedy. If you're unfamiliar with that term, then this movie might, as I've stated before with Lanthimos's style, come off as unorthodox.

       We all like to have control of our own lives, but this film shows that there is a limit to how much you will do to achieve what you want. Sometimes we can go crazy in our attempts to control things and there will be people who will try to sabotage your control. This film is on a super limited release right now, but if it ever screens at a theater relatively close to you then I would recommend it. As your film nerd friend, I'm highly suggesting you see this movie as long as you have an open mind. This film has some of the highest award buzz this year. Its already been nominated for a decent amount in the Globes, Critics Choice, and the SAG's. If you're not one who follows all that, then the chemistry demonstrated between the 3 actresses, I think, is enough alone to recommend this movie. 10/10