Director Yorgos Lanthimos is well known for his perverse style and approach to his movies. From Dogtooth, The Lobster, and The Killing of the Sacred Deer. Lanthimos focus on complex characters living in difficult situations with unexpected solutions.

His last two movies explore the love, grieve and revenge. Now in his new movie The Favourite he explores the complex web of power and the true nature of envy.

Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) a woman with fragile health and not interest in governing Great Britan and Scotland. Queen Anne is more interested in superficial and eccentric activities, like duck races and play with her 17 rabbits which represent the child she had lost over the years. Her confidant Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) and also lover uses her power to influence the queen and manipulate her decisions.

Until one day Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham (Emma Stone) arrives in search for employment. Is important to mention that Sarah and Abigail are the queen's cousin. At first, Abigail works as a scullery maid in the palace. Quickly she realized that the queen is in bad shape. Abigail seeks an opportunity to gain flattering with Sarah and potentially Queen Anne by using some herbs to cure her inflamed legs, which works for the queen and help Abigail to become Lady of the bedchamber.

At this point, Sarah and Abigail fight for the queen Anna affection, quickly becoming a game of control, deceive and manipulation where England is at stake.

Lanthimos masterfully presents a well-crafted film leaning towards comedy, his previous approach leaning towards drama leave the spectators breathless, while this movie presents a challenge the audience who are impressed by unexpected visual styles, like extreme wide angle views, stunning art direction, and costume design.

Don't me wrong The Favourite is a good film, but not as powerful as The Lobster, and The Killing of the Sacred Deer who seeks less elaborated art direction and costumes and focus more in the characters. The Favourite presents nuances and visual metaphors in several scenes used as a tool to make the audience understand, however, The Favourite could be a little bizarre for audiences who are looking for a period piece with conventional storytelling style. The film has three powerful female characters who can survive in the 1700 era, the question is how queen Anne, Sarah and Abigail could do in the midst of the Metoo movement.