The Favourite
The Favourite

The Favourite

2018Movie120 minEnglish

England, early 18th century. The close relationship between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill is threatened by the arrival of Sarah's cousin, Abigail Hill, resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen's favourite.

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Insights

IMDb7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes93%
Metacritic90
Google Users87%
Director: Yorgos LanthimosGenres: Comedy, Drama, History, Biographical

Plot Summary

In early 18th century England, Queen Anne reigns while England is at war with France. Her fragile health and capricious nature lead her court to be manipulated by two ambitious women: Sarah, the Duchess of Marlborough, and Abigail, a new, ambitious servant. The two women engage in a power struggle to become the Queen's confidante and influence the court, leading to a dramatic and darkly comedic battle for power.

Critical Reception

The Favourite was met with widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its performances, screenplay, direction, and production design. Critics praised its sharp wit, dark humor, and unconventional approach to historical drama, with many highlighting the central performances of Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Stone.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its darkly comedic tone and sharp, witty dialogue.
  • Lauded for outstanding performances, especially Olivia Colman's portrayal of Queen Anne.
  • Admired for Yorgos Lanthimos's distinctive and audacious directorial style.

Google audience: Audiences widely appreciated the film's unique blend of historical drama and dark comedy, often citing the stellar performances and intelligent screenplay as highlights. Some viewers found the film's bleakness and unconventional narrative challenging, but overall, it was well-received for its originality and dark humor.

Awards & Accolades

Olivia Colman won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress. It also won multiple BAFTA Awards and Golden Globe Awards, with numerous wins and nominations for its cast and direction.

Fun Fact

Director Yorgos Lanthimos and his cast deliberately avoided watching historical documentaries about Queen Anne and her court to allow for more creative interpretation of the characters and their relationships.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

6 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Queen Anne was one of the few British monarchs still to have had her story committed to film and this was the Oscar winning result. Olivia Coleman stands out as the cantankerous and temperamental last of the Stuart's to reign; but otherwise...
John Chard

John Chard

Some wounds do not close; I have many such. One just walks around with them and sometimes one can feel them filling with blood. The Favourite is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. It stars Olivi...
Stephen Campbell

Stephen Campbell

**_Fans of Yorgos Lanthimos will love it_** > _A setback for women? How can it set women back to prove that women fart and vomit and hate and love and do all the things men do? All human beings are the same. We're all multifaceted, many-...
furious_iz

furious_iz

Hugely entertaining film from start to finish, with amazing performances from the three lead women. Emma Stone proves that once again she's not just a pretty face as the conniving and troubled Abigail, Rachel Weisz is always on form as the ...
Manuel São Bento

Manuel São Bento

If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) The Favourite is one of the most acclaimed movies of last year, receiving multiple nominations at dozens of awards shows and winning a whole bunch of them (2nd most a...
Gimly

Gimly

Overrated? Most assuredly, but utterly engaging from beginning to end. Not Yorgos' most humorous piece, but technically sound and brilliantly acted. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._