My "Favourite"

Oh, this movie! It's twisted and wicked and so very, very funny. The Favourite takes place during the 18th century in Queen Anne's court. The politics and hijinks are highly accessible, even if (like me) you aren't familiar with Queen Anne's reign.

Even with my only superficial knowledge of Queen Anne, I know some things in the movie weren't accurate.* But it doesn't bother me here as much as it did in Vice. After all, no one in modern-day England's take on today's affairs will be influenced by this movie. (Though I might feel differently if I was Brit.)

This movie is concentrating on gender, and tackles that age-old question: would the world be different if women were in charge? The answer is no. This woman-driven court is as filled with petulance, whims, sex, influence peddling and secrets as today's Washington.

It's also very, very vulgar. Be warned. A certain word that makes me cringe is used often and conversationally.

But this doesn't mean I didn't also laugh.

By the way, I was surprised by how many boys and young men were in the audience. Yes, I'm sure some were dragged against their will by their girls. But I think Emma Stone has slipped into that Julia Roberts/Sandra Bullock position as America's Sweetheart. (Even if she is playing a very bad British girl.)

*No one kept rabbits as pets back then. Anne's precious babies would not have enjoyed catered parties, but would have been lunch themselves.