About the Movie
“The Favourite”
“The Favourite” has received 10 nominations in the 91st Academy Awards, including a nomination for best picture. The movie was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It is a dark comedy film set in the early 18th century, England.
Trailer
Uploaded by FoxSearchlight
Synopsis
This Synopsis was taken from Google.
In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead, while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots.
The Review
My Overall Thoughts
This was a movie that I watched due to the recommendation of a YouTuber I follow. He praised it so much; I was interested to see what the fuss was about. I was intrigued by the trailer; and generally being a fan of period films, I decided to watch it. I was both a little horrified and entertained throughout “The Favourite” .
Watching it made me somewhat uncomfortable at many points in “The Favourite” , but it was riveting enough that I easily ignored my discomfort. The strange thing about this movie is that it’s events seem to be set in a sort of slow, snail-like crawling pace that at once seems too slow and dizzyingly fast, the twists in the plot leaving one dumbfounded and fascinated. It is a movie that definitely takes one on an emotional ride – not something you expect from a movie touted as a comedy.
The Best Parts of the Movie
I really enjoyed watching this film. I was entertained and immersed throughout; which is not something I can say about the majority of films I watch. However – and this is a big objection, I do not really love this film. I would recommend it as an art piece, one that people should watch if they want to see a superbly made film, but, it is not at all a likeable film, and I am probably never gonna watch it again.
Acting
This film has some really brilliant performances from the main lead and supporting characters. The performances are such that they pull you into a character’s emotions. They manage to make you empathize with each of the important characters. Both Emma Stone and Rachel Weiz did a great job and I honestly cannot praise them enough. However, in my humble opinion; they were outshone quite thoroughly by Olivia Colman as Queen Anne. She portrays the character in such a way that you can feel disgust and sorrow for the Queen in the same moment. I was never disconnected with the emotions of “The Favourite” and that can be attributed in large part to the acting (supported by the excellent cinematography and atmosphere).
The Script
The script is well written and executed; the dialogue is good, and the emotional backbone of the story strong. “The Favourite” really does not have a very noticeable plot? It is first and foremost a character study, and I’m not complaining. The plot is there and does what it needs to, and that’s all that can be said for it.
The Cinematography Etc.
Even though I am generally not a critic that focuses on the technical aspects of “The Favourite” (I prefer analyzing story and character), and it is never foremost in my mind when watching a movie; this film managed to impress upon me the brilliance of its technical aspects. It is a beautifully arranged, directed, filmed and edited movie, all of these coming together to lift the movie out of the ordinary and into the realm of a work of art.
This is a film to watch for the superb acting, the amazing cinematography, the breathtaking costumes and the darkly enchanting atmosphere.
Things That Were Meh
My complaints about this film, will center around two main points:
- How uncomfortable “The Favourite” becomes at points.
- How historically inaccurate it is.
This film is surreal and atmospheric, to the point where at times you feel physical/visceral empathy or disgust and it is not relaxing to watch. Both the characterization and the set-up, makes one feel weird and discomforted at times. The main scenes that come to mind are the ones where a naked man is pelted with fruit, and the ending scene.
“The Favourite” has a sort of understated vulgarity to it that I personally found off-putting. I do not enjoy vulgarity in any of its forms and though here it did add to the dark atmosphere, I found it distasteful.
“The Favourite” posits itself as a comedy and I find this grossly inaccurate; I don’t think I laughed even once throughout its entire runtime, but that is not to say that I was not entertained.
Oh, boy, what can I say but that “The Favourite” is so historically inaccurate that it might as well be a fictional account? God, is “The Favourite” misleading about both the politics of the time and the timeline itself. This is annoying to me, though it’s not a deal breaker, I just want to warn people not to expect any historical accuracy from this movie.
My Final Thoughts
Watch this film if you like challenging yourself, expanding your horizon or want something intellectually stimulating. I guarantee you will learn something from it, even if you do not enjoy it. This is a film to watch if you want see a work of art, it is an experience.
My rating for this film is 9/10.
Disclaimer:
This review is the Author’s opinion, the author does not claim anything stated here as fact. If you disagree with anything written in this article please do not hesitate to sound of in the comments down below. However, please keep in mind that the author is not liable for any information stated in this post. It is purely opinion.
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