The Favourite Review: 8 Ups & 1 Down

5. The Devilishly Witty Script

Even though Lanthimos didn't write the movie, it's hard to argue with its brilliantly witty - and decidedly British - screenplay, which expertly melds comedy-of-manners tropes with a decidedly more vulgar air.

This is the sort of period drama where the C-word is dropped with surprising regularity, to hilarious effect no less.

It is a film keen to mock the self-conscious stuffiness of most awards-baiting period fare, so it's all the more iconic that The Favourite is itself an awards contender.

The back-and-forth cattiness between the central characters is ludicrously entertaining, taking its crude metaphors to an almost Shakespearean level of creativity while never forgetting the punishing social mores of the period.

That it also wraps authentic character arcs and tight themes around all this is extremely impressive, no matter that it lacks a little of its director's usual bracing impact.