After an emotional day, my husband and I decided that we needed something light for movie night. We scavenged our Critiquer lists for a comedy and stumbled upon The Favourite. I know that I have a weird sense of humor and I don’t normally like the mainstream comedies… but I’m still trying to figure out how The Favourite is considered a comedy. Are people finding it funny when Masham walks into Abigail's room and her skirts are hiked up? Are people finding it funny when the Prime Minister walks around with the fastest duck in the county? Are people finding it funny when Harley pushes Abigail down the slope? I’m still trying to figure out how they consider Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to be a comedy. Is the industry just slapping a comedy label on these movies to have a higher chance of winning an award?

What I wasn’t ready for was watching a lady being emotionally abused and manipulated while she falls apart. The cake scene was a trigger for me. In the end, I would have liked to know what I was getting into. 

Okay… so what is The Favourite? It starts as Abigail arrives, asking for work from her cousin, Lady Sarah, who is a close confidant of Queen Anne. Close confidant… lover… ruler of the country… it’s a fine line. Abigail has plans of her own as she slowly undermines Lady Sarah, essentially ruining her favor with the Queen. It’s a study in power struggles, women, love, lust, and manipulation. All without a real lick of humor. I take that back. I laughed a few times. But most of it was cringe laughing. None of the belly laughing that I expected or really needed.

The movie got it right with the costumes and sets. They played up the absurd styles of the time, and the way the wealthy would live it up. Even Harley, who I think was a good guy in it all, was still a rich boy biding his time with frivolous activities. I’m not sure that orange scene will actually leave my head. I hope the guy was paid well. Maybe this was a portion of the comedy… I’m still searching. 

Lady Sarah’s wants hid from me. It’s clear what Queen Anne and Abigail wanted. Those are practically in flashing neon lights over their heads. If you don’t figure it out in the beginning, the bunny scene definitely spells it out. I wasn’t laughing there. My heart was most definitely breaking. But Lady Sarah was a mystery. Her surface wants were easy. She didn’t want to lose power and control over the Queen. But what did she really want? Why did she fight for a war her own husband was going to be leading? Was it about the castle? Someone spell it out for me. 

On a side note… The fight in the woods had me swooning for female empowerment. 

I don’t want to take away from the amazingness that the actresses achieved in the movie. This was definitely another struggle trying to find that perfect line between my dislike of the film and what was achieved. Though the actual filming left a sour taste in my mouth. I appreciate that they were trying to push boundaries but the fish eye lenses really pulled me out of the film and the bunny overlay at the end felt cheap. It didn’t lend to what I thought the ending was about. An ending that I think had a good message. And if you don’t go in with the idea that you are watching a comedy, I think this is an interesting female centered period piece that leaves you with a lot to think about. 

And I don’t know who Olivia Colman’s competition was in the award ceremonies, but she should have won Best Actress. 

Happy Watching

Love Kait