A fascinating, self-aware, strange and hilarious courtly tale of feminine ambition and the peculiarities that arise from such a stuck-up society. The three lead performances are phenomenal, hysterical, beautiful and inventively fun. A wonderful delight from start to finish. Oscar nominations for all, please!
Marvelously shot and weirdly funny! The acting was superb. I really liked the use of the fisheye lens in the 18th century setting. Overall I was really impressed and entertained.
The Favourite has such sparkling wit, it's one of the funniest black comedies I think I've seen. Set in the court of the perpetually sick, quite overwhelmed Queen Anne, it chronicles a battle of wills between the Queen's principal adviser who controls the kingdom by infantilizing Anne, and a possible new favorite who is just as ruthless, but perhaps not as wise. Olivia Coleman is of course terrific as Anne - I can't ever not feel for her - but Rachel Weitz and Emma Stone are also great (there isn't a wrong note from ANY of the actors, I don't think). This is a story about powerful women vying for supremacy, and Stone's Abigail may discover that there's really no rest for the wicked. Even once she thinks she's won, sustaining that victory may be more work than it's worth, especially once one ultimately realizes what that "victory" means. We're left on a shot that says everything and puts her character in her proper place. While Yorgos Lanthimos creates a beautiful desaturated world for his "ugly" comedy, I do question some moments of direction - the fish-eye lens, the anachronistic dance moves even if the likely anachronistic vulgar language didn't bother me - but on the whole, a near-perfect piece in part about how cruelty begets cruelty.
This is so great on all counts... plot, humor, representation, cinematography, editing, and every actor in it, especially the leads. More films of this caliber, please!
Barry Lyndon meets Amadeus meets some Wes Anderson flick. But for some reason I didn't enjoy it. Perhaps it was missing the Lanthimos touch it usually has. Probably related to the fact that he didn't write it.
Spectacular performances, but apart from that? No. Just no. The use of a fisheye lens or two doth not art make. Neither does what passes for a score in this film - one stroke of a cello followed by one string plucked pizzicato style - the same note over and over again, ad nauseam, until you start wondering if one of your neighbours has got a bizarre new car alarm. The modern-ish language I didn't mind so much, although they really could have skipped the "okay". And then there are the numerous historical accuracies...
To sum up: Not art. Not music. Not history.
I wish the director would have trusted the fantastic acting performances to be enough to carry the film. They more than are. Everything else is just distractions.
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 15 of 15
frankqb
A fascinating, self-aware, strange and hilarious courtly tale of feminine ambition and the peculiarities that arise from such a stuck-up society. The three lead performances are phenomenal, hysterical, beautiful and inventively fun. A wonderful delight from start to finish. Oscar nominations for all, please!5 stars out of 5
The Tramp
Marvelously shot and weirdly funny! The acting was superb. I really liked the use of the fisheye lens in the 18th century setting. Overall I was really impressed and entertained.Slowlondon
You need to go with it. When you do, it's pure excitement. All actors are outstanding.erselgider
That duck race scene...Emiam
7/10Interesting film, passes the Bechdel test.
Siskoid
The Favourite has such sparkling wit, it's one of the funniest black comedies I think I've seen. Set in the court of the perpetually sick, quite overwhelmed Queen Anne, it chronicles a battle of wills between the Queen's principal adviser who controls the kingdom by infantilizing Anne, and a possible new favorite who is just as ruthless, but perhaps not as wise. Olivia Coleman is of course terrific as Anne - I can't ever not feel for her - but Rachel Weitz and Emma Stone are also great (there isn't a wrong note from ANY of the actors, I don't think). This is a story about powerful women vying for supremacy, and Stone's Abigail may discover that there's really no rest for the wicked. Even once she thinks she's won, sustaining that victory may be more work than it's worth, especially once one ultimately realizes what that "victory" means. We're left on a shot that says everything and puts her character in her proper place. While Yorgos Lanthimos creates a beautiful desaturated world for his "ugly" comedy, I do question some moments of direction - the fish-eye lens, the anachronistic dance moves even if the likely anachronistic vulgar language didn't bother me - but on the whole, a near-perfect piece in part about how cruelty begets cruelty.TheStonyField
This is so great on all counts... plot, humor, representation, cinematography, editing, and every actor in it, especially the leads. More films of this caliber, please!Forzelius
Barry Lyndon meets Amadeus meets some Wes Anderson flick. But for some reason I didn't enjoy it. Perhaps it was missing the Lanthimos touch it usually has. Probably related to the fact that he didn't write it.Earring72
Fine wicked black comedy. The leads are sensational and movie looks great. Just hated the ending.Borvaran
I didn't see perfection in a while.satisfythecrave
I'm in love.Neens
Spectacular performances, but apart from that? No. Just no. The use of a fisheye lens or two doth not art make. Neither does what passes for a score in this film - one stroke of a cello followed by one string plucked pizzicato style - the same note over and over again, ad nauseam, until you start wondering if one of your neighbours has got a bizarre new car alarm. The modern-ish language I didn't mind so much, although they really could have skipped the "okay". And then there are the numerous historical accuracies...To sum up: Not art. Not music. Not history.
I wish the director would have trusted the fantastic acting performances to be enough to carry the film. They more than are. Everything else is just distractions.
marco_n65
AwesomeWistaire
As this movie would say, what a cunt film.chunkylefunga
This is one of those movies that 'critics' will harp on about but in reality, it's forgettable, sub-par, and even it's stellar cast can't save it.In 5 years no-one will be talking about this movie.