"The Favourite"

One wouldn’t expect a conventional historical drama from Yorgos Lanthimos, given the matter-of-fact surreal creepiness of his oeuvre (“Dogtooth” being a personal favourite, with “The Lobster” - basically a documentary about being single - almost too painful to watch); “The Favourite” doesn’t disappoint.  

It focusses on a crucial period in the life of Queen Anne (1665-1714), last monarch of the House of Stuart. Olivia Colman stars as the much-bereaved and ailing ruler, whose long-time (very) intimate friend and political advisor, Rachel Weisz’s Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, finds herself in competition for royal favours with her own cousin, the impoverished Abigail, played by Emma Stone, who is more interested in her own well-being than matters of state.

Olivia Colman

Colman is alternately monstrous and pitiable as the floundering Queen, with Weisz on excellent glacial form, and Stone also highly impressive as her desperate and subtly manipulative rival. The 18^th century interiors are beautifully photographed, Lanthimos’ lush visual style and use of music echoing that of Peter Greenaway; he also injects numerous dislocatory elements, such as inappropriate dancing and anachronistic dialogue.

Ultimately this is a tragic-comic portrait of a lost woman, privileged but isolated, and ill-used by all who surround her. “The Favourite” is crudely beautiful, and well worthy of all the awards for which it is being tipped.