My Favorite film of 2018!

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2018)

So I saw The Favorite at the theater. I was really looking forward to the movie. It has an absolutely phenomenal ensemble cast plus the director Yorgos Lanthimos knows his way around an interesting and provocative film. Overall I was blown away with the movie. It may be my favorite film of 2018, pun intended. If nothing else it might be the best made film of 2018. I cannot recommend the film enough to everyone.
The plot of the movie is very unconventional. This is not a movie with a grand historical scope. There are no intense battle scenes or extravagant narratives. While there is a war that occurs during the film it merely serves as a plot device to carry the actual narrative. The real meat of the movie is the political intrigue and rich dialogue. Pretty much the entire film takes place at the Queens royal estate. This is an immensely sharp and witty film that constantly plays with the viewers expectation. It somehow perfectly mixes elements of comedy, drama, and suspense perfectly to keep you entertained. I can say I was completely engaged the entire time.
Instead of an epic narrative we witness the political and social struggles of two women as they fight for the affection of the queen. One a social climber hell-bent on achieving wealth and prestige while the other is a seasoned political matriarch who controls the kingdom from behind the scenes. In a complex mental chess game these two women attempt to outwit each other at every turn. They lie, cheat, steal, and even use sex to their advantage. It's a film the asks the question how far would you go to live a life of luxury. In many ways the film seems like the bastard child of Game of Thrones, The Lion in winter, and Barry Lyndon. This of course is high praise considering all three are at the pinnacle of political dramas and amazing dialogue.
The genius of the film is in the rich textual layers of dialogue that are the center of every interaction. I haven't seen dialogue so smart and biting in a long time. It somehow is hysterical, but at the same time manages to not come off as campy and overdone. I had so much fun watching two people throw backhanded insult at each other all the while in the context of a royal palace.
You really starting to love and hate most of the characters at the same time throughout the film. All of the characters were exceptionally well-written and very engaging. Everyone had their own agenda and motivations that felt genuinely human. There was no glamorizing the human condition here. Human nature was Illustrated raw and animalistic.
The film was also a critique and attack on the decadence and disconnect that elites in higher social classes embody. The film illustrates how far removed the wealthy are from the struggles of the average man and that they have no problem manipulating and using individuals to their advantage. The movie also offers social commentary regarding gender norms and ideas of sexuality. Concepts of masculinity and femininity are questioned while the film also offers critiques on The Cult of Femininity. It was all around an incredibly layered film that says quite a bit while never coming across as preachy.
Of course this might be one of the best acted films of the year. Other than the TV show Peep Show I wasn't very familiar with Olivia Colman. That was my mistake. She was absolutely incredible. She perfectly embodied the characteristics of a power drunk yet fragile Queen Anne. At every turn she brought something new to her charater that made the queen a richly complex figure. She also had physical and mental transformation as the film went along that would make Daniel Day-Lewis stop and take note. She deserves an Oscar for this role.
Rachel Weisz is another actress that I was blown away with. I know her from a few separate roles but I was never very impressed. She always seemed like a competent, but forgettable actress. This roll completely changes how I feel about her. While the dialog was sharp her delivery was incredible. She brought so much to a well-written script with this performance. She really held a number of scenes together with her screen presence alone. I absolutely loved her in this. I can easily see her being nominated for best supporting actress.
Of course I have to mention Emma Stone. Now I greatly dislike Emma Stone. She has some good roles, but there's something about her I can't stand. That being said this was easily one of her best performances. She managed to portray the wide range of emotions her character embodied throughout the film while still remaining very human. She could play sweet and naive one moment followed my cunning and brutal the next. She easily made a character fans could love to hate.
Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz genuinely had some great chemistry together. The film provided an absolutely incredible ensemble performance worth seeing for its acting alone. While it's easy to overlook his performance in the face of so many strong leads Nicholas Hoult really did a good job also. His character was hilarious and provided some memorable scenes.
If this film doesn't get nominated for best director then something is wrong. Yorgos Lanthimos made an absolute masterpiece of a film. He is known for his quirky and often out of this world storytelling. This is the man that brought us the Lobster which was such a bizarrely unique ride. With The Favorite he managed to tell a story in such a complex manner that is almost comes across that we're watching a play. He took a subject that was ultimately irrelevant and made it captivating. One of my personal favorite elements was his incorporation of sound. The score was outstanding, but the way he used it brought so much tension and life to every scene. The score felt like a character in itself that Incorporated an additional layer of depth to the film.
Plus there was some truly stunning cinematography throughout the film that made the movie pure eye candy. The film is absolutely beautiful in so many ways. It perfectly captured the decadent aesthetic of the era. The costume and set design were flawless. You really felt like you were witnessing the day to day world of those living at the Queens manor.
I loved the movie. The only real criticism I can think of deals more with viewer expectations. If you walk into the film expecting a rich historical epic you are going to be disappointed. If you are expecting action and a grand narrative you will be disappointed. If you expect something other than two hours of dialogue and political intrigue you will be disappointed. If you want a realistic portrayal of history you will be disappointed. If you want a story with a conclusion that is tied up with a nice bow you will probably get angry at the ending. It's hard to fault a film however for things it was never trying to be.
The Favorite is officially my current pick for this award season. The movie offers so much to its audience, but you have to be an active viewer. The film has some of the best dialogue I've seen in years and utterly flawless delivery. The characters are complex and interesting and their interactions absolute carry the film. Technical wise this is the best film of 2018. I recommend it to everyone as this is certainly a must-watch film. It may not be for everyone, but it was a truly unique and engrossing experience. A 9.5 out of 10.