An odd take on one particular British monarch's legacy and the ones who served her

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2019)

The Favourite is a period drama directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer). Starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, it is an odd take on one particular British monarch's legacy and the ones who served her.
In the early 1700s, Britain is at war with France and the British Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) sits upon her throne taking advice on ruling from her loyal adviser Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz). However, one day Sarah's broke cousin Abigail (Emma Stone) shows up looking for work and catches the attention of the Queen. Over time, Abigail gains the Queen's favour and is promoted as her personal attendant, much to the envy of Sarah, who feels she is being pushed aside for someone better.
Well-acted and shot, The Favourite is an interesting yet strange film about an intense rivalry in 18th century England. Both Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz are appropriately catty and spiteful towards one another, and it is fun to watch how each one tries to outdo the other. Olivia Colman also shines as Queen Anne, clearly having fun playing up her character's eccentricities. The film has wonderful set pieces, much in the vein of Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Milos Forman's Amadeus, and one can certainly appreciate the effort that has been made to make the film look as authentic as possible. Unfortunately, though, the film does suffer from some pacing issues and a questionable ending. In terms of plot, there is not much shown other than the two servants vying for the Queen's attention and considering the film's two hour running time, this almost feels like a wasted opportunity for some showcase of the war between Britain and France. In addition to this, the film is a slow burner, not becoming particularly engaging until about twenty minutes in. It is understandable why this has little mainstream appeal and most audiences will be put off by its slow start, but overall, the film is still worth seeing for the solid performances of the three lead actresses and the eye catching set design.
I rate it 7/10