Manipulation, hilarity and liberal usage of the C word are all on full display in The Favourite, an offbeat period piece set in the 18^th century kingdom of Queen Anne.

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite follows the behind-the-scenes drama at the estate of the Queen (Olivia Colman). Sarah’s (Rachel Weisz) position as the Queen’s most trusted advisor comes under threat when new employee Abigail (Emma Stone) uses her intelligence and kindness to quickly rise up the ranks. What ensues is a deceit-filled back-and-forth rivalry between the two to be the Queen’s ‘favourite’.

Though there are three impeccable performances at the heart of The Favourite, the spearhead of this trifecta is Olivia Colman.  There is a child-like quality to her portrayal; she cycles from whimsical and easily amused to exuding the petulance of a spoiled brat when things aren’t going her way. But that is somewhat of a façade for a person brimming with insecurity. The ease at which Colman is able to balance all of these areas across the emotional spectrum while still feeling like a fully realised character is a testament to her acting.

Though they have been receiving nominations as supporting actresses this award season, Weisz and Stone are just as essential to the film. Their tug of war over the Queen quickly turns into blatant one-upmanship and this gives Colman plenty to work with. Despite the constant tension between the characters, the three actresses are working in perfect harmony with each other, subsequently elevating their performances as a whole. Special mention should also be made to Nicholas Hoult. His character is almost purposefully inconsequential, but whenever he appears on screen, he’s a source for much entertainment.

The Favourite stands to be Lanthimos’ most popular film to date, to the point that it is seen as a no-brainer to secure a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. His films are known for being weird and esoteric, yet this latest addition is perhaps Lanthimos at his most restrained, likely due it not being his own screenplay. However, it doesn’t feel out of place in his filmography as the writing does a great job of capturing his rather particular sense of humour.

Prime example of this is how farcical he makes the lives of the rich and royal look. In a film focused on the monarch, we expect to see the Queen to be the embodiment of prim and proper. This is no such film. Instead we’re treated to scenes of her stuffing her face with cake and screaming at children. Visually, it is also more arresting than the regular fare that might instead prefer the set and costuming to take centre-stage. By putting this contrast of expectations and reality front-and-centre, Lanthimos has taken the idea of the boring period piece and turned it on his head.

The people that The Favourite focuses on are about as far removed from the lives of an 21^st Century everyday person that you can be, yet somehow the concoction of absurdism wrapped around the themes of status and love create characters who have more relatability than they have any right being.