The Favourite (2018)

A new movie starring my two absolute favorite actresses. If anyone asked me which female duo I’d want to see on screen together, I'd pick them every time.



https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5083738/

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_favourite_2018/

Not sure how many Oscars they're chasing. It's marketed as a historical drama, so probably quite a few,
but it's really more of a black comedy with some truly fantastic moments.

I love that kind of dark humor. It actually reminded me of a period-piece version of the recent A Simple Favor.

So, highly recommended. I had a great time watching it.

Seriously, such a slickly packaged movie. Olivia Colman absolutely killed it! She’s phenomenal in every single scene—just a total blast to watch.

Huge props to the writers too for deciding to tackle a story about a queen who isn't exactly a household name, diving into all those juicy intrigues during her final years, even if they played fast and loose with the history books!

The visuals, production design, costumes, and score? All top-tier. The acting holds up too—though honestly, I was much more into Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman than Emma Stone. The script is where it trips up, though; it feels a bit thin and predictable, almost like a blunt instrument of political theory—think some nasty blend of Hobbes and Machiavelli. It’s just constant backstabbing where everyone is out for themselves, with rivals doing whatever it takes to win over the sovereign—basically weaponizing sex and cunning to climb the ladder. That whole "one rises while the other falls" career arc is also pretty cliché. Still, as a whole, the movie works surprisingly well—it's catchy and actually pretty funny in spots. 7/10

SPOILERS

fadedmason7 said:The visuals, production design, costumes, and score? All top-tier. The acting holds up too—though honestly, I was much more into Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman than Emma Stone. The script is where it trips up, though; it feels a bit thin and predictable, almost like a blunt instrument of political theory—think some nasty blend of Hobbes and Machiavelli. It’s just constant backstabbing where everyone is out for themselves, with rivals doing whatever it takes to win over the sovereign—basically weaponizing sex and cunning to climb the ladder. That whole "one rises while the other falls" career arc is also pretty cliché. Still, as a whole, the movie works surprisingly well—it's catchy and actually pretty funny in spots. 7/10

Plus, that final scene where they ask, "What exactly do you think you've won?" really drives home the point—that woman who fought her way to the top was never actually higher than she was in that exact moment. It’s a total Pyrrhic victory.

It’s not bad. Honestly, the ending is pretty damn good.

Honestly, it’s just plain boring and totally pointless. If you can't stand movies that act all high-and-mighty and pretentious... just skip it!

Jesse Thomas7 said:SPOILERS

Plus, that final scene where they ask, "What exactly do you think you've won?" really drives home the point—that woman who fought her way to the top was never actually higher than she was in that exact moment. It’s a total Pyrrhic victory.

It’s not bad. Honestly, the ending is pretty damn good.

Was she any more "dignified" when her own father sold her off to that guy who was treating her like dirt?

Melissa Booth3 said:Was she any more "dignified" when her own father sold her off to that guy who was treating her like dirt?

Maybe technically, sure, but morally? Not even close. First, we’re looking at the fallout of someone else's depravity, but then we hit her own. It wasn't her choice initially, but this part right here? This is on her. To me, she hits a much lower, incomparably filthier level of character the moment she realizes she actually sold herself out—that whole "victim" shield just evaporates—than she did back when she was forced into it against her will.

Spoilers

Jesse Thomas7 said:SPOILERS

Plus, that final scene where they ask, "What exactly do you think you've won?" really drives home the point—that woman who fought her way to the top was never actually higher than she was in that exact moment. It’s a total Pyrrhic victory.

It’s not bad. Honestly, the ending is pretty damn good.

True, but the whole ambiguity of power is baked into the motive from the start. The Queen at the top of the pyramid is simultaneously the most isolated and most persecuted figure. It’s only in that final scene that Abigail finally grasps the full weight of her success—or her downfall.

I have to give props to the wide-angle shots, too—they frame the characters within these massive, almost overwhelming spaces that really nail their spot on the social ladder. On the flip side, the whole vibe feels super staged, like a painting or maybe even a fish tank. Kinda grotesque, honestly.

fadedmason7 said:Spoilers

True, but the whole ambiguity of power is baked into the motive from the start. The Queen at the top of the pyramid is simultaneously the most isolated and most persecuted figure. It’s only in that final scene that Abigail finally grasps the full weight of her success—or her downfall.

I have to give props to the wide-angle shots, too—they frame the characters within these massive, almost overwhelming spaces that really nail their spot on the social ladder. On the flip side, the whole vibe feels super staged, like a painting or maybe even a fish tank. Kinda grotesque, honestly.

Robbie Ryan. Period.

fadedmason7 said:Spoilers

True, but the whole ambiguity of power is baked into the motive from the start. The Queen at the top of the pyramid is simultaneously the most isolated and most persecuted figure. It’s only in that final scene that Abigail finally grasps the full weight of her success—or her downfall.

I have to give props to the wide-angle shots, too—they frame the characters within these massive, almost overwhelming spaces that really nail their spot on the social ladder. On the flip side, the whole vibe feels super staged, like a painting or maybe even a fish tank. Kinda grotesque, honestly.

Yeah, sure, but a Queen is a Queen. When you talk about actual power—the ability to indulge every random whim, make the calls, change her mind on a dime, or just shut down whatever she feels like—she’s in the exact same spot at the beginning and the end. Despite being physically and mentally a wreck, her position hasn't budged. She doesn't even have to lift a finger if she doesn't want to.
She could flip the whole script tomorrow if she felt like it, and everyone else would just have to deal with it.

Abina's game is over. The tool has been used up. She’s effectively stripped herself of the one last thing—maybe the most vital thing—that she held onto even when she was at her absolute lowest point in terms of practical standing: hope.
Hope, the ghost of any idea, any plan, any desire or ambition that might actually improve her situation. She knows it's done. This is what she fought for. That’s why I think that closing scene is masterfully handled. Instead of some heavy-handed dialogue where they spell everything out three times over to make sure you get the point, they cement the entire theme through one long shot of Abina’s defeated face. You can practically feel the hopelessness, that trapped sensation, and the hint of apathy that’s going to be her permanent state of being moving forward.

And honestly, it's not just the final scene. Even with all those specific little plots, games, and twists that some people write off as the movie's "bad side" or just a bunch of nonsense, there are a few moments—like that one part about the different games the two of them are actually playing—where a single question or one seemingly throwaway sentence forces you to rewind in your head. You find yourself connecting the dots yourself, drawing conclusions based on what *wasn't* said.

When a movie pulls that off, especially with that kind of finesse, there's no way it can be total garbage.

I don't know much about cinematography. You're saying wide-angle? 🤣

I mean, I know it when it looks good. 🥳

I'm not sure if I'm missing something deeper because of the specific way he chose to frame the shots, but I'm hoping he did it specifically so that even someone like me, who doesn't grasp technical stuff, can still pull the intended meaning out of it. 🙂

Spoilers

Jesse Thomas7 said:Yeah, sure, but a Queen is a Queen. When you talk about actual power—the ability to indulge every random whim, make the calls, change her mind on a dime, or just shut down whatever she feels like—she’s in the exact same spot at the beginning and the end. Despite being physically and mentally a wreck, her position hasn't budged. She doesn't even have to lift a finger if she doesn't want to.
She could flip the whole script tomorrow if she felt like it, and everyone else would just have to deal with it.

Abina's game is over. The tool has been used up. She’s effectively stripped herself of the one last thing—maybe the most vital thing—that she held onto even when she was at her absolute lowest point in terms of practical standing: hope.
Hope, the ghost of any idea, any plan, any desire or ambition that might actually improve her situation. She knows it's done. This is what she fought for. That’s why I think that closing scene is masterfully handled. Instead of some heavy-handed dialogue where they spell everything out three times over to make sure you get the point, they cement the entire theme through one long shot of Abina’s defeated face. You can practically feel the hopelessness, that trapped sensation, and the hint of apathy that’s going to be her permanent state of being moving forward.

And honestly, it's not just the final scene. Even with all those specific little plots, games, and twists that some people write off as the movie's "bad side" or just a bunch of nonsense, there are a few moments—like that one part about the different games the two of them are actually playing—where a single question or one seemingly throwaway sentence forces you to rewind in your head. You find yourself connecting the dots yourself, drawing conclusions based on what *wasn't* said.

When a movie pulls that off, especially with that kind of finesse, there's no way it can be total garbage.

I don't know much about cinematography. You're saying wide-angle? 🤣

I mean, I know it when it looks good. 🥳

I'm not sure if I'm missing something deeper because of the specific way he chose to frame the shots, but I'm hoping he did it specifically so that even someone like me, who doesn't grasp technical stuff, can still pull the intended meaning out of it. 🙂

I disagree—her "game" isn't over and she hasn't run out of "tools." 😉 She basically wiped out her rival for good; now the Queen is even more dependent on her due to that stroke, and she’s got a husband who's easy enough to manipulate. In that killer final scene, Abina actually shows a hint of self-reflection for the first time. Everything she did was for social climbing, driven by pure survival instinct in a cutthroat environment. She always looked forward, never back. But in the end, she realizes her new status is built on some seriously dirty work—both figuratively and literally.

Jesse Thomas7 said:Yeah, sure, but a Queen is a Queen. When you talk about actual power—the ability to indulge every random whim, make the calls, change her mind on a dime, or just shut down whatever she feels like—she’s in the exact same spot at the beginning and the end. Despite being physically and mentally a wreck, her position hasn't budged. She doesn't even have to lift a finger if she doesn't want to.
She could flip the whole script tomorrow if she felt like it, and everyone else would just have to deal with it.

Abina's game is over. The tool has been used up. She’s effectively stripped herself of the one last thing—maybe the most vital thing—that she held onto even when she was at her absolute lowest point in terms of practical standing: hope.
Hope, the ghost of any idea, any plan, any desire or ambition that might actually improve her situation. She knows it's done. This is what she fought for. That’s why I think that closing scene is masterfully handled. Instead of some heavy-handed dialogue where they spell everything out three times over to make sure you get the point, they cement the entire theme through one long shot of Abina’s defeated face. You can practically feel the hopelessness, that trapped sensation, and the hint of apathy that’s going to be her permanent state of being moving forward.

And honestly, it's not just the final scene. Even with all those specific little plots, games, and twists that some people write off as the movie's "bad side" or just a bunch of nonsense, there are a few moments—like that one part about the different games the two of them are actually playing—where a single question or one seemingly throwaway sentence forces you to rewind in your head. You find yourself connecting the dots yourself, drawing conclusions based on what *wasn't* said.

When a movie pulls that off, especially with that kind of finesse, there's no way it can be total garbage.

I don't know much about cinematography. You're saying wide-angle? 🤣

I mean, I know it when it looks good. 🥳

I'm not sure if I'm missing something deeper because of the specific way he chose to frame the shots, but I'm hoping he did it specifically so that even someone like me, who doesn't grasp technical stuff, can still pull the intended meaning out of it. 🙂

Like I said before, I thought the movie was great, even if the script isn't exactly groundbreaking. Honestly, it felt better and warmer than most Lanthimos films. 🙂

fadedmason7 said:Spoilers

I disagree—her "game" isn't over and she hasn't run out of "tools." 😉 She basically wiped out her rival for good; now the Queen is even more dependent on her due to that stroke, and she’s got a husband who's easy enough to manipulate. In that killer final scene, Abina actually shows a hint of self-reflection for the first time. Everything she did was for social climbing, driven by pure survival instinct in a cutthroat environment. She always looked forward, never back. But in the end, she realizes her new status is built on some seriously dirty work—both figuratively and literally.

Like I said before, I thought the movie was great, even if the script isn't exactly groundbreaking. Honestly, it felt better and warmer than most Lanthimos films. 🙂

I don't know, man, I just don't see it that way. It’s not like the Queen is actually addicted to her or anything; the Queen has an endless supply of staff at her beck and call whenever she needs something done. She doesn't *need* her. Honestly, she basically talked herself into being a high-end escort. Because she was so obsessed with securing that fancy social status, she ended up effectively becoming a sexual commodity for both the husband and the Queen in practice.

I just don't see any way for her to pull that off without completely blowing her chances at landing that fancy corporate promotion she’s been chasing. 🤷

Even if she tries to play it off, nothing can really take the edge off that sheer, pure satisfaction Weisz felt—it was all about that raw drive and motivation. It’s like that whole "close your eyes and think of the United States" vibe. 😬 It all boils down to this one conviction: that being physically close to the Queen is the only way to actually pull the strings of the nation. If you can get close enough, you can nudge her decisions toward whatever you personally think is best for the country. And let me tell you, Weisz was absolutely obsessed with that idea. That whole power play—that was her entire game.

Abina is purely, obsessively focused on her own status. Honestly, she couldn't care less about who the United States is at war with, when those conflicts happen, or how they're fought. At the end of the day, the only real win she gets out of all this mess is having some fancy title on paper, while in reality, she’s nothing more than a slave to the situation.

But honestly, I just don't see any way she has the leverage to go about changing that right now.

I mean, let's say the toolkit stays the same: charm and brains. I think you're unfairly overestimating the Queen and her husband. Abi might not keep leveling up, but I don't see her losing what she's already built—she'll probably just play it safe to maintain the status quo, which honestly isn't nothing given where she started. But hey, that's a whole other movie.

northerndriver said:Honestly, it’s just plain boring and totally pointless. If you can't stand movies that act all high-and-mighty and pretentious... just skip it!

I couldn't agree more—I just sat through about half of it, and honestly? It's all hype and zero substance. Total boredom. To be frank, the only reason I even bothered hitting play was because of Colman, but even then, the whole thing turned out to be a heavy, uninspired mediocrity.

I really loved it. It wasn't boring in the slightest and the time just flew by... Honestly, it felt like the most grounded Lanthimos film I've ever seen.

So, here’s the gist: two women are basically fighting over the affections of a third who just happens to be the Queen. And honestly, nothing is more toxic than female jealousy 😬

Since it's a biopic, this is actually one of the weirder—yet somehow most conventional—ideas we've seen from Lanthimos. Not that he doesn't usually lean into the bizarre stuff we've come to expect from his style, though...

Yeah, I felt like it dragged on a bit too long for a two-hour flick, but the core message definitely lands. It’s great seeing such likable performances from such irritating characters. You've got the moping Queen who can't make up her mind, the second one who's arrogant but politically sharp and capable, and then there's the third, who's just a sweet kid enjoying life at court until she realizes how much she loves the luxury of being close to the Queen...

I enjoyed what I saw, but I've definitely got some mixed feelings. I guess I wanted the whole thing to hit a little harder? It felt like it left me hanging just a tiny bit...

Honestly, this is just absolute garbage.

northerndriver said:Honestly, it’s just plain boring and totally pointless. If you can't stand movies that act all high-and-mighty and pretentious... just skip it!

I really gave it a shot, but I ended up turning it off after about 35 minutes.
B o r i n g

Sean Peterson76 said:I really gave it a shot, but I ended up turning it off after about 35 minutes.
B o r i n g

I couldn't even make it past 10 ☕

I honestly don't know what I would think of this movie if Lanthimos hadn't directed it. But since you can't judge art outside of its context, I am deeply disappointed; this is easily the weakest film of his I have seen.

A few weeks ago, I watched the Alps films for the first time. It felt as though they were made by two different people, only one of whom is actually a genius.

Perhaps it helped that I happen to know quite a bit about that historical era and the political "triangle" at the heart of the story, so nothing could truly shock or surprise me.

It feels like a weaker, more explicit blend of Barry Lyndon, Taj Jones, and that Marlborough miniseries starring Michael York.

Meh.