If The Favourite had music by Michael Nyman. I would had said that it was directed by Peter Greenaway. I do think Greenaway was a big influence with the style of the film, as well as the Oscar winning Tom Jones that lent it some naughtiness.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos adds a rich period setting and visual flourishes. He keeps his camera moving and has lot of fisheye views.
Underneath it all is a power play between three women in 18th Century England. Two of them vie to be Queen Anne's favourite even if this means massaging more than her legs.
Abigail (Emma Stone) has fallen on hard times. She arrives at Court hoping for employment from her cousin, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz.) She is the Queen's trusted adviser, lady in waiting, confidante and even lover.
Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) is ill. She has gout, she is mentally unstable. She lost 17 children and she has 17 rabbits that she plays with. Governing the country is something she finds difficult especially as Britain is at war with France.
Abigail wants to ingratiate herself with Queen Anne and climb the greasy pole to secure her position. Over time Abigail and Lady Sarah fight, dirtily to be the Queen's favourite.
The Favourite is a crude, grimy, seedy, bawdy drama in tone and language. Lanthimos is certainly not interested in showing a wholesome chocolate box portrait of 18th century life.
This is a sumptuous looking costume drama about fragile cruel people and egos. People who are desperate to get to the top and remain there.
The film unravels in the second half and gets bogged down. At the end Abigail may not be quiet in control as she thinks, I did think the ending was weak and disappointing.
