The movie is set in 1708 England during the reign of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman). A rather petulant and disinterested monarch, Anne has little interest in running the country and happily leaves the matters of governing and determining the course of the war with France to her right-hand woman, Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz). Sarah wields incredible political power and has the Queen's affections (which are more than just platonic), but she is also bracingly honest and refuses to be a toady. She tells the Queen if her make-up makes her look like a badger but will also take care of her when she has a severe attack of the gout. It's a bizarre relationship that gets strained when Abigail Hill (Emma Stone), a distant cousin of Sarah's, arrives looking for employment.
Do not be fooled by the pretty and poverty-stricken Abigail. She has had a miserable life after her father lost her in a game of cards to a German when she was 15 years old (yes, let that sink in) and when she arrives at the palace, she is bullied by the other staff, as well as Sarah. However, desperate to restore her status as a lady, Abigail starts to play a clever game, currying favour with Queen Anne and eventually setting her sights on replacing Sarah as the Queen's favourite. Watching how she goes about it is a masterclass in manipulation and it's rather wonderful to experience how you go from feeling sorry for Abigail, to rooting for her, to suddenly being horrified at her villainy. Sarah might be rude and demanding, but at least she does that to your face instead of in the shadows.
Olivia Colman is brilliant, playing a depressive queen who does still occasionally remember the enormous power she wields and can throw an epic tantrum. Rachel Weisz is a stylish and no-nonsense power broker who can handle war strategy and palace finances without blinking an eye. And Emma Stone is a ruthless mastermind, determined to make her way to the top but still naive enough to make mistakes along the way. All three actresses greatly benefit from Lanthimos' penchant for close-ups: they have incredibly expressive faces that can convey about 5 pages of storyline without a line of dialogue.
The dialogue is a sheer delight, full of barbed sarcasm and quintessential English dryness. It's not for everyone, but it sure was for me. And the music is eerie, with Psycho-esque strings in the background to remind you that as hilarious as some of the antics on screen may be, this is very much the story of a struggle for power with incredibly high stakes, and you shouldn't be lulled into a false of security. Lanthimos is fond of a fisheye lens and strange angles that can throw you off balance and remind you that all is not quite right in this palace. And at times he superimposes images of the three women on each other, as a reminder of how interconnected their lives have become and what a challenge it will be to untangle this mess.
Filmed at Hatfield House and Hampton Court Palace, this movie is utterly sumptuous and dripping with historical eye candy. Featuring the work of costume designer Sandy Powell (who also did Mary Poppins Returns - this woman is out to get ALL the awards this year), there are a lot of black-and-white outfits with intricate lacy designs that are geometric gorgeousness. This Vogue article elaborates in much more detail if you want to go down a rabbit hole. On the flipside, the men are foppish nightmares, bedecked in elaborate wigs, layers of face paint, and ever-increasing moles. The palace is rife with bored aristocrats engaged in insane pursuits like racing ducks or pelting naked men with oranges, while the main trio of women are essentially running the country.
The Favourite was my favourite for many reasons, but emphatically because it features three incredible female acting performances. This is still such a rarity in cinema, and to see three women at the top of their game have the chance to shine was a pure delight. The men really are supporting characters in this film, with very little to do but go along with the women's orders, and get manipulated any time they think they are in charge. Instead, it's the three ladies who get to banter with caustic sarcasm and prove that, who run the world? Girls.
No comments:
Post a Comment