A period drama has been rated as the “best” of its genre in its ability to allow you to “escape to another era”. The Favourite is a satirical absurdist period dark comedy, drama, art film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. The film stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. TimeOut rated it as “the best period drama of all time”.
The film’s synopsis reads: “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 Favourite received much praise following its release in 2018. Rotten Tomatoes critics rate it at a high 93%. Their consensus states: “The Favourite sees Yorgos Lanthimos balancing a period setting against rich, timely subtext – and getting roundly stellar performances from his well-chosen stars.”
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film five stars, he said: “Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and the mighty Olivia Colman turn a period piece into a caustic comeuppance comedy with fangs and claws. It’s a bawdy, brilliant triumph, directed by Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos with all the artistic reach and renegade deviltry he brought to Dogtooth (2009), The Lobster (2015) and The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017).”
Time Out said: “For all its pronounced weirdness, freak visionary Yorgos Lanthimos’s jet-black comedy of ill manners is nonetheless based in some level of truth: in the early 18th century, a lesbian love affair did purportedly occur between a gout-stricken Queen Anne (portrayed by Olivia Colman) and two combative cousins (Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz). But Lanthimos douses it all in his singularly odd aesthetic, lending the whole contentious affair a fever-dream quality.”
A critic added: “Technically, The Favourite is undoubtedly one of the best movies of 2018. The impressive production and set design plus the addictive score definitely elevate the film, but the costume design tells a whole story through what the characters wear.”
One audience reviewer described the film as “amazing”, adding: “An absolutely amazing film with three amazing stars and a masterful director which is Yorgos, it’s an absolute must-see for this movie.”
The Favourite is available to stream on Disney+.