Sumptuous, Sardonically Hilarious, Impeccably Acted

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2019)

Best known for a film about forced therianthropy, director Yorgos Lanthimos has never been one to adhere to conventional rules of filmmaking. His latest piece is a perfect example of this, pitting its three note-perfect leads against each other in a gripping and witty triumvirate of female power-hunting.
'The Favourite' is buoyed by the tightest script of 2018, as produced by AACTA-award winner Tony McNamara and newcomer Deborah Davis. Complete with vicious insults and pithy one-liners, the film often takes on an absurdist feel due to its quintessentially modern approach to the eighteenth century setting. While not a straight-set comedy, it is in many ways the perfect dramedy, using its finely-judged tone to forge a uniquely satirical period piece.
The three central performances are each excellent and the actresses deserve every award they receive. The ever-fantastic Olivia Colman explores the bipolar and gluttonous depths to which she can take her character of Queen Anne, revelling in the attention she receives whilst a deep vein of tragedy simmers underneath. Rachel Weisz's character goes through a lot, and the acerbic wit she demonstrates calls out for her future inclusion in more comedic material. Stone is at her best here, displaying a Machiavellian moral ambiguity attitude in order to become the Queen's favourite. The interplay between the three is great fun to watch, and indicative of their effortless chemistry.
The setting allows for some exquisite production and costume design. Technically, the film also boasts some fascinating explorations of cinematography from 'Slow West' DP Robbie Ryan. The frequent use of the fisheye lens creates a confined, claustrophic atmosphere which enables all the relevant parts of a given scene to be visible. Excluding the fitting collection of sweeping baroque music, there is no traditional score to speak of, and at times the minimalist soundtracking does become too jarring and overstays its welcome. There are a few too many such occasions (including the ending) which could have benefitted from a stern edit, but for the most part the film is refreshingly expeditious.
Overall this is one of the year's strongest and wittiest films which is definitely worth taking the time to watch. With a trio of flawless acting performances, it is Lanthimos' finest work to date. 87/100