Courting the absurd

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2019)

This film does not fit neatly into the established cinematic genres, which may account for some of the negative reaction it has received. Its narrative is in turn grotesque, bizarre, comic and tragic - and perhaps Lanthimos has begun to create a new kind of film - the cinema of the absurd. For some, this could take some getting used to as its sequencing will be unpredictable and its tone sometimes uncomfortable.
There is no doubt that the three central performances are of the highest quality, and Coleman in particular is inspired in her portrayal of the lost soul that is Queen Anne. It's not always easy to feel empathy for a monarch, but this was deftly achieved and deserves acclaim and awards.
The cinematography is perfectly pitched and frames the bestial dysfunctionality of the court - around each corner and in every nook and cranny the rich and powerful (mainly men) are behaving like spoilt children, debauching themselves in the shadow of the queen's weakness. The other main protagonists - Sarah and Abigail - are more ambitious, determined and focused in their exploitation of the situation. Nature abhors a vacuum, and Queen Anne's troubled isolation creates one. Meanwhile, outside the palace, there are murmurings of public unrest.
In its unique way, The Favourite is an evocative portrayal of a particular time and space in English history with an exploration of the dynamics of power and their interplay with sexuality.