The Favourite Review: A Hilarious Tale of Power, Pettiness & Betrayal
Most period dramas are about elegance, romance, and restrained emotions. The Favourite is about pettiness, manipulation, and women destroying each other in corsets.
It’s a film where Emma Stone kicks a duchess, Olivia Colman screams at servants, and Rachel Weisz commits psychological warfare with a single side-eye.
And honestly? It’s perfect.
Power, Pettiness & Psychological Warfare
Set in the 18th century, the film follows Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), a ruler with 17 pet rabbits, chronic gout, and zero patience.
Her closest confidante, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), has spent years running the country while also insulting the Queen for fun. But when Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) arrives, a battle for the Queen’s affection begins.
What follows is a gloriously unhinged power struggle filled with backstabbing, seduction, and absolute chaos.
Why This Feels Like Mean Girls in Wigs
The court of Queen Anne makes high school look civilised. The dialogue is so sharp it could cut through a powdered wig. The insults? Legendary.
- 🗡️ “Did you just look at me? LOOK at me! How dare you? Close your eyes!” – Queen Anne, a full-grown toddler in a crown.
- 🗡️ “Your mascara is running. If you’d like to fix yourself, we can continue this later.” – Rachel Weisz, lethal as ever.
- 🗡️ “I should have you stripped and whipped!” – Emma Stone, fully feral.
The Favourite is not about who is good or bad – it’s about who plays the game better.
Olivia Colman: The Unhinged Queen We Deserve
Queen Anne is equal parts hilarious, pathetic, and terrifying. One moment she’s throwing food at people, the next she’s having a full-blown existential crisis.
Colman won an Oscar for this role, and she deserves it. She makes you laugh, cringe, and weirdly sympathise all at once.
Emma Stone vs. Rachel Weisz: A Battle of Icons
Rachel Weisz is flawless, calculating, and effortlessly intimidating. She delivers insults with the grace of a woman who has never been told “no” in her life.
Emma Stone starts as a sweet, mud-covered nobody. But by the end? She’s poisoning people, ruining lives, and casually petting a rabbit like a villain in a Bond movie.
It’s pure cinema.
A Period Drama Unlike Any Other
If you want:
- ✔️ A period drama where people act like Real Housewives in corsets.
- ✔️ Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz committing psychological warfare.
- ✔️ Olivia Colman screaming at people and throwing food.
Then congratulations – this film is for you.
10/10. Would rewatch just to hear Olivia Colman yell, “CLOSE YOUR EYES!” again. 🎭✨