Period dramas centred around English queens are pouring into cinemas thick, fast and hungry for royal victory this awards season, not to mention the third series of the highly acclaimed Netflix drama ‘The Crown’ streaming later this year, which incidentally sees Olivia Colman commanding the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. In ‘The Favourite’ however, Colman takes on the role of Queen Anne in her later years: frail, miserable and laden down with gout. She shows minimal interest in ruling, preferring strange activities such as duck racing and petting her rabbits. She entrusts economical matters to her advisor and secret lover Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, who pretty much runs the country through manipulating and controlling Anne. Sarah’s poor cousin Abigail Hill arrives at Court looking for work, hoping to regain her family’s honour. Sarah and Abigail soon engage in a viscous battle for the Queen’s affections without any boundaries.
I’ll be frank: this film isn’t for everyone. Those who prefer the culturally renowned perception of regal femininity may find its absurdist elements hard to swallow. In fact, I wouldn’t categorise the film as a simple period drama, more a satirical melodrama that unfolds into a vengeful thriller with teeth and claws. I actually enjoyed the cheeky wit and sharp pacing, and there is a sense of warped chaos that permeates the film, to the extent that I couldn’t predict what’s to come. For this reason I would say that ‘The Favourite’ is the most original of this year’s Best Picture nominees. The bawdy language and brute violence are a refreshing take on a genre that’s often labelled samey and stuffy, with particular attention to the gender dynamics between the central trio. All subversions of the period drama norms make it a haphazard watch, the general unsettlement is only heightened by the overpowering baroque-based score. There are also some unexpectedly hilarious moments that kept me engaged and wanting more.
Olivia Colman is on Oscar-worthy form as Queen Anne, providing plenty of laughs in her infantile tantrums and the right amount of vulnerability in her isolation from the world of war and politics. Her cantankerous fits reminded me so strongly of the Queen of Hearts that I half expected Colman to shriek ‘off with her head!’ at any point. In spite of her behaviour, Colman succeeds in making us sympathise with the Queen’s loneliness, as the only real love she has is for her seventeen rabbits, each of which represents a child she has lost. The screaming breakdowns are out of self pity, but the unashamedly human aspect make them work and play on our heartstrings. Emma Stone does impressive work as Abigail, going against type in mastering an English accent and channelling a wickedly badass side. Behind the doe eyes and veneer of sweetness is a power hungry woman who will stop at nothing to be crowned the favourite. The star of the show is Rachel Weisz, who does her best work since ‘The Constant Gardener’. She exudes the calculating presence of a silent assassin, and her dialogue is fuelled with passive-aggressive acidity that burns through every time. Although the awards hype is geared towards Colman, I wouldn’t be surprised if Weisz walks away with a second Oscar, for she is magnificent here.
My issue with the film is the cinematography. The off-centre camera angles no doubt serve a purpose, but for me they don’t suit the film we are watching. The questionable editing choices didn’t ruin my enjoyment, as the film has many strong features on display. Colman, Weisz and Stone are sheer perfection and make every moment their own for different reasons. I loved the attention to period detail and the costumes are sumptuously designed. The overall experience is a dizzying whirl of powdered wigs, sexual deviance, scathing exchanges and relentless ambition. Like I said, this film isn’t to everyone’s taste, and it takes suspension of disbelief to enjoy its absurd randomness. Whether this film is your favourite or not depends on what you’re looking for in a film. If you aren’t sold by my take on it you’re better sticking to the refined grace of ‘Downton Abbey’.
HKFilmBlog 