We saw Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” last weekend, and I’m really glad we did. There’s no doubt that this film is best enjoyed on the big screen. While the film’s visual aesthetics have been praised in many reviews, I was still amazed by how stellar and provocative the costume department, cinematography, and design were. There’s so much to see in every scene that it can be quite overwhelming!
Alasdair Gray’s book served as an inspiration for the screenplay. The story takes a bizarre turn on the Frankenstein concept of reviving a dead body by a mad doctor. Bela, who has just been promoted, needs to relearn everything about the world. His insatiable curiosity, his expansiveness.
In scenes that I truly enjoyed, Bela learned that dance can be inspired by music. It was delightful to see his joyful and natural response to the unusual rhythm and noise. Kudos to the choreographer for such marvelous performances, featuring Mark Ruffalo dancing and playing cards.
The settings effectively supported the story’s eccentric elements. They were allowed to appear less natural; the more unnatural, the better. Only when fully committed, such stylistic preferences can really work, and oh boy, this was full commitment. Though the ship was magnificent, Lisbon was perhaps my favorite place.
I think Emma Stone’s portrayal of Bela Backster might land her a Golden Globe. Will she also win an Oscar? I certainly hope so. Indeed, every performance was outstanding. I applaud Mark Ruffalo for elevating his role with such gusto and Vilém Dafoe for (for once) underplaying his role. Firstly, his atrocious English accent bothered me, but eventually, it felt appropriate for the character.
This is not a film for the faint-hearted. The surgical experiment resulting in Bela’s creation is gut-wrenching (pun intended for someone whose idea of a horror film is Ghostbusters!), and there’s a lot of sex in it. And I mean a lot! And I mean something by that! If you’re likely to be offended by any of these, then don’t go, but you’ll really miss out on something special.
“The Favourite” is a film about innocence, exploration, and human nature. It challenges us to question our ways of seeing things, our methods of censoring behavior, imposing social standards on each other, and the disregard for those standards can be both disturbing and exhilarating. Furthermore, “The Favourite” is undeniably a comedy. I often find myself laughing out loud, which is unusual for me, especially when watching a film in a theater. Indeed, many times, I was the only one laughing! I’m not sure how to interpret it except that in the entire story, sorrow and humor work together, sometimes standing completely opposite to each other, and sometimes working as twins. What makes me happy might seem strange to someone else watching another film. The wonderful thing about stories is that viewers, readers, listeners, or consumers of the entire work bring their interpretation, and that reaction becomes an indescribable element of the story’s composition.
