A delightfully witty and physical comedy.
It’s the early 18th Century, England are fighting the French and Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne is in poor health. Vying for the Queen’s affections are her devoted friend, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), and Lady Sarah’s cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone). Newly arrived at the palace and aware the Queen is charmed by her personality, the wily Abigail sees a chance to restore the social status that has been battered by her father’s ruinous wagers.
What follows is a riotous game of one-up-womanship, directed with a fierce, pacy intelligence.. At the centre of this wickedly amusing tale are the three powerhouse performances from Weisz, Stone and, especially, Colman, who won Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her uproarious portrayal of Queen Anne.