The Favourite

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Videos & Photos

  • Official Trailer
  • Official Trailer
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Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Yorgos Lanthimos

Producer:

Andrew Lowe, Daniel Battsek, Rose Garnett

Writer:

Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara

Release Date:

Nov 23, 2018

Runtime:

2hr

Synopsis

Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

Cast

  • Olivia Colman
  • Rachel Weisz
  • Emma Stone
  • Nicholas Hoult
  • Joe Alwyn
  • James Smith
  • Mark Gatiss
  • Jenny Rainsford
  • Liam Fleming
  • Carolyn Saint-Pé

Atom Users Reviews

3.9
411
351
173
68
79
POPULAR TAGS
#greatcast
#clever
#original
#hilarious
#awardbuzz
#smart

Reviews

  • FK
    Francesca Kranzberg
    #notmyfave
    #greatcast

    Basically everyone at the theater where I saw this movie had the same reaction. We didn’t know what to think of it but we didn’t like it. It was just kind of stunned silence.

    JN
    Joel Nova
    #girlsnight
    #intense
    #leavekidsathome

    You honestly never leave the atmosphere of this movie until you are dismissed. Definitely the most Award worthy film of the winter. Do not miss it.

    SS
    Sinemia Sinemia
    #surprising
    #original
    #clever

    It was great until the last 15 mins. The movie was very surpsrising. - I liked it a lot.

  • KC
    Katie Clarke
    #bizarre

    Not at all what I was expecting. The acting was excellent. But otherwise, this was just a strange, kind of icky movie. A little too artsy for my tastes.

    SA
    stephen ashford
    #greatcast
    #smart
    #clever

    Three superb performances by the leading ladies! Viscous script that highlights the comedy without dulling the pathos .

    GB
    Gerry Bollman

    The most depressing, vile movie I’ve seen in many years. The worst since Caligula.

  • PG
    P G
    #didntcareaboutcharacters
    #notmyfave
    #boring

    You never get emotionally invested in any character so you never really care what happens to them. AND it’s slow. AND very little happens. AND nobody cares.

    PH
    Phillip Humphreys

    Olivia Colman gives a powerful, fun and evolving performance. Slowly stealing the show as the film steps and stabs to its conclusion. Ending will leave some audience members craving more definition, but I found it perfectly somber. It is claustrophobic, as intended, so try…

    TO
    Ted O

    Total waste of time. It ended and those of us that lasted to the end were dumbfounded. I can't believe I wasted a movie day on this.

Read all 1,082 customer reviews

Metacritic

91
metacritic
Based on 53 Critics
7.7

USER SCORE (521)

Generally favorable reviews based on 521 Reviews
58
Dec 1, 2018

The actresses are so expert, especially Colman, with her grievous, hardbitten woe, that you may not care, but if one is to mock this sort of historical extravaganza, I much prefer the nutbrain Monty Python approach to all this deep-dish folderol.

Metacritic review by Peter Rainer
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
90
Nov 23, 2018

The comedy is elegant, frequently dark and genuinely witty. The spectacle is gorgeous.

Metacritic review by Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
90
Nov 21, 2018

Though mostly twaddle as history, Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite is wonderful, nasty fun, a period drama (wigs, breeches, beauty spots) that holds the screen with gnashing teeth and slashing nails.

Metacritic review by David Edelstein
David Edelstein
New York Magazine (Vulture)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Favourite (2018) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is The Favourite (2018)?
The movie is 2hr long.
What's The Favourite (2018) about?
Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.
Who's the cast of The Favourite (2018)?
  • Olivia Colman as Queen Anne
  • Rachel Weisz as Lady Sarah
  • Emma Stone as Abigail
  • Nicholas Hoult as Harley
  • Joe Alwyn as Masham
  • James Smith as Godolphin
  • Mark Gatiss as Lord Marlborough
  • Jenny Rainsford as Mae
  • Liam Fleming as Kevin
  • Carolyn Saint-Pé as Madame Tournée
Who's the director behind The Favourite (2018)?
Yorgos Lanthimos directed The Favourite (2018).
Who produced The Favourite (2018)?
Andrew Lowe, Daniel Battsek and Rose Garnett produced The Favourite (2018).