First Take: The Favourite- a very independent start to 2019

SYNOPSIS: In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah.

Yesterday the BAFTA nominations were revealed. This film managed to pick up 12 of them, and having finally seen it after months of teasers, so many rumours, as well as several Screen Unseen bait and switches, is the latest film from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos able to deliver on the hype? All I need to say is this: I am already booked in to see it again.

Lanthimos is able to craft this 2 hour film that has the most surreal elements of his previous works (Dogtooth, The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer), blended with a more mainstream style of direction- of course, not many of his usual collaborators are back, most notably with the script, which is written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good script, but a lot of the magic of a Lanthimos film is in the writing- but he is able to use this to his advantage. Robbie Ryan is behind the camera, using some very bold wide angle lenses in some sequences, and with Johnnie Burn handling sound design duties and helping Lanthimos pick music for the film, it has that awards quality to it alright.

And then we have the performances. Where do I even begin with that Olivia Colman role- that’s how you get the eyes of awards voters, as she is able to make it her own, and make what is arguably a period drama more than what you’d expect- add to that the brilliant work of Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Mark Gatiss and Nicholas Hoult, and you get a film that does some very twisted things with the 15 certificate. It might be set in the 1700s, but it did pass the 6 laugh test, and it did definitely earn every single nomination it could get.

THE VERDICT

Like Lanthimos’ earlier films, The Favourite won’t be the go-to film for mainstream cinemagoers. But it is really enjoyable. It’s funny, shocking, provocative, and pretty damn good- believe me, I am looking forward to watching it again, and seeing the reactions that audience will have to some scenes.

RATING: 5/5