--- title: "The Favourite: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-favourite/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-favourite" critics_score: 90 critics_reviews: 16 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Favourite (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 90 from 16 reviews: 16 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are uniformly positive about The Favourite, with praise centred on the three lead performances and Yorgos Lanthimos’s irreverent treatment of costume drama. Most critics single out Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne for combining absurd behaviour with pain and vulnerability, while Weisz and Stone earn praise for their handling of the court’s rivalries. The bawdy dialogue, visual playfulness and balance of cruelty with emotional depth draw broad approval, and several critics find this an unusually accessible film from Lanthimos. The differences are mostly matters of emphasis: some reviews relish the coldness and backstabbing, while others stress the sympathy beneath the farce. Reservations are minor rather than evidence of a substantial split: Slant Magazine finds the denouement somewhat muted, while Vulture questions aspects of the wide-angle visuals and ending. Neither reservation seriously dims those publications’ enthusiasm for the performances or the comedy. ## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds Rating ★★★★★. 21 December 2018. The review calls the film a superb tragicomic take on Queen Anne's court that combines sex, skulduggery and human frailty with exhilarating irreverence. It singles out the moving performances by the three lead actresses and Lanthimos's outsider eye for loosening the corsets of heritage drama. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-favourite-review-combines-sex-and-skulduggery-with-disarming-doses-of-human-frailty/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 5/5. 30 December 2018. The critic praises the film as a spiky tragicomedy driven by three pitch-perfect lead performances. Colman is singled out as simply superb in combining pathos, cantankerousness and pain as Queen Anne. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/30/the-favourite-review-olivia-colman-emma-stone-rachel-weisz-yorgos-lanthimos) ## IndieWire — Michael Nordine Rating A. 30 August 2018. Festival review. The review hails it as Yorgos Lanthimos’ crowning achievement, a royal drama that is as tragic as it is hilarious thanks to its majestic triumvirate of lead performances. It praises the blend of period elements with the director’s idiosyncratic style. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-favourite-review-yorgos-lanthimos-emma-stone-venice-1201998762/) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2018. The critic hails Olivia Colman's performance as divine and Oscar-worthy, the emotional heart of a film that is a riot of emotion. They single out how Lanthimos upends the conventions of heritage drama while delivering to-die-for one-liners. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-favourite-review-all-bow-down-to-queen-olivia-colman-a4022396.html) ## Slant Magazine Rating 3.5/4. 6 September 2018. The review notes that the film is more narratively coherent than Lanthimos’ prior work while still asserting his idiosyncratic worldview through a bawdy romp about court intrigue. It praises the satisfying middle act and memorable final shot but finds the denouement somewhat muted. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-favourite/) ## Empire — Ian Freer Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 2018. The critic calls the film weird, dirty but accessible, a perfectly performed and thrillingly made period picture. They single out the three pitch-perfect lead performances and Lanthimos' playful, physical direction for praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/favourite-review/) ## The Independent — Christopher Hooton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 January 2019. The critic finds the film consistently and relentlessly hilarious, a buffoonish pleasure right down to the sets and costumes. They single out the sensational script and the deadpan performances of the three leads for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-favourite-film-review-olivia-colman-emma-stone-release-date-watch-trailer-a8590641.html) ## Variety Rating Critics Pick. 30 August 2018. Festival review. The film is a savagely witty and stylish misanthropic baroque costume drama, the most accessible yet from Lanthimos, and a perfectly cut diamond of savage misanthropic baroque costume drama. It praises the finely executed, coldly entertaining entry with strong performances from the leads in a tale of elegant backstabbing. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/the-favourite-review-emma-stone-rachel-weisz-1202921600/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2018. The film is likely to leave viewers in good humor, bemused or amused, marking a friendlier turn for Lanthimos while retaining his mordant view of humanity. It praises the trio of lead performances, especially Olivia Colman's portrayal of Queen Anne as a survivor with sad courage amid grotesque elements. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/11/26/glamour-wit-and-cunning-in-the-favourite) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang 19 November 2018. The film is a splendidly wicked and almost indecently entertaining caustic swirl of a chamber epic, more pure devious fun than any other great movie that year. It singles out Olivia Colman's magnificent performance as the aching human centerpiece of the emotional triangle. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-favourite-review-20181119-story.html) ## Sight and Sound — Philip Kemp 1 January 2019. The critic praises Lanthimos for putting his idiosyncratic stamp on the period costume drama through an alien, heightened viewpoint. Strong performances from Colman as the infantile Queen Anne, Weisz as the formidable Sarah, and Stone as the ruthless Abigail are singled out, along with the film's ribald, vicious farce and anachronistic elements. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/favourite-review-rich-ribald-royal-farce) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney 30 August 2018. Festival review. The critic calls it a fabulously entertaining tragicomedy and a must-see with sumptuous visuals, delectable wit, and rich performances from the three lead actresses. He singles out the complex, non-didactic portrayal of women navigating power in a divided political landscape. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/favourite-review-venice-2018-1138544/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Rating Critic's Pick. 21 November 2018. The film is a wildly entertaining, bracingly cynical comedy of royal manners. It singles out Olivia Colman's sublime performance as Queen Anne for its contradictory mix of ridiculousness and humanity. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/movies/the-favourite-review.html) ## Vulture — David Edelstein 20 November 2018. The critic finds it wonderful, nasty fun as a brisk period drama driven by machinations and a magnificent trio of actresses. He singles out the peerless performances, particularly Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman, while noting minor flaws in the wide-angle visuals and ending. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/the-favourite-is-wonderful-nasty-fun.html) ## /Film — Marshall Shaffer Rating 10/10. 29 September 2018. Festival review. The review calls the film a sublime send-up of royal power games, commending Lanthimos for depicting political intrigue through interpersonal rivalries with humor and insight. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/561327/the-favourite-review-nyff/) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Rating 5/5. 19 October 2018. Festival review. The critic calls the film sharp, filthy and fantastically anarchic, praising its deliberately anachronistic take on the period comedy genre and its originality. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-favourite-review/) ## Collider — Perri Nemiroff Rating A-. 24 October 2018. The film is a highly entertaining, intoxicating and nasty escapade revealing the emptiness of unearned power and love. It stands out as a prime showcase for three powerhouse performances from Colman, Weisz and Stone, with gorgeous costumes and production design enhancing the wicked frolic through gossip, manipulation and snobbery. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-favourite-review/) ## The Playlist — Jessica Kiang Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2018. Festival review. The critic describes the film as deeply hilarious and fabulously entertaining, lauding its bawdy wit, three standout female performances and visual flair while noting its accessibility. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/yorgos-lanthimos-favourite-venice-review-20180830/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2018. The critic finds “The Favourite” a nasty fun twisted historical farce that fits Lanthimos’ style of power games, with powerhouse performances from the three leads. Colman’s portrayal of the vulnerable Queen Anne is singled out as stealing the show. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-favourite-film-review-emma-stone-rachel-weisz-olivia-colman-yorgos-lanthimos/) ## Den of Geek — Mark Harrison Rating 4/5. 2 January 2019. The critic praises the performances of Colman, Weisz, and Stone in this raucous costume drama that blends sharp comedy with emotional depth. The lead trio's chemistry and the film's unsettling take on the genre are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-favourite-review-a-gorgeous-and-gobsmacking-tragicomedy/) ## Eye for Film — Anne-Katrin Titze Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2018. Festival review. The review highlights the film's irreverent dialogue and striking use of space and visuals to explore power dynamics, singling out the three lead performances for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-favourite-2018-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-favourite.md