A bland and boring film with a remarkable performances

Rating: 5/10 (7 January 2019)

The Favourite tell the story of the later years of Queen Anne, a monarch not often shown on the big screen, and the character shines with the brilliant performance of Olivia Colman.
The beginning of the film is very good, as we see the back and forth between Emma Stone's Abigail and Rachel Weisz's Lady Sarah. The rivalry between these two was very well done, and it played for some great comedic scenes. However after this passes, the movie slows down even more, and becomes boring. As nothing really happens afterwards, other than a few political scenes.
This is the type of movie a selected number of people will love and respect. It has good writing and is acted brilliantly. However it is very, very slow. The entire film takes place in the Queen's Palace, and we are treated with very well done production and costume designs, but we revisit the same rooms and halls, and it gets bland. Also this film is categorised as a comedy, and it tries so very hard to be one, some of the comedy works, others doesn't. A movie like this should have been a straight up drama, considering the topic, and the performance by Olivia, which is one of the best of the year. But it plays for laughs way too much, and feels goofy and over the top at times.
Other than the great production and costumes, the movie also has a very unique cinematography style, something I haven't seen in a film before, it uses strange angles and zooms, and relays a lot on long takes, which is always a plus. Most of the other background characters are wasted, but do provide some comedic scenes.
The Favourite is a very well made movie, just a boring one. If you enjoy movies like this, you will find great entertainment in it, but if you don't you will find yourself checking your watch.
5/10