The 2019 film, The Favorite, tells the story of two brothers.
Benjamin Bernard (Luke Benjamin Bernard) is an MMA fighter, an up-and-comer who never gives up in the ring and has won the loyalty of his fans as a result. His nickname is “The Favorite” because the crowd loves to watch him fight. What the crowd doesn’t know is that Benjamin rarely feels like the favorite in his everyday life. Instead, he’s lived his life overshadowed by his brother and, as a result, he’s grown up to be angry and insecure.
Benjamin’s brother is Luke (Matthew Fahey). Luke is a star soccer player, one who is destined to go pro as soon as he graduates. (At one point, he’s projected to be the number one draft choice.) Luke has always been a good son and a good friend and a good brother. He and Benjamin love each other but Benjamin just cannot get over his jealousy towards the strong relationship between Luke and their father, Daniel (John Schneider).
The tensions between the two come to a head one night while the two of them are on a double date. Luke is driving when Benjamin punches him. Luke loses control of the SUV, resulting in a catastrophic crash. Luke’s girlfriend is killed. Benjamin’s girlfriend may never walk again. Luke is taken to the hospital in a coma and the doctors are forced to remove a part of his skull in order to save his life, causing half of the top of Luke’s head to cave in. Somehow, Benjamin survives the accident with only a few minor cuts and bruises.
After spending days in a coma, Luke finally opens his eyes. It quickly becomes apparent that he’s suffered severe brain damage. He can barely walk or speak but Luke also makes it clear that he intends to recover. With the help of Benjamin and Daniel, Luke makes quick progress. But when Benjamin confesses that it was his actions that led to the car crash and the death of Luke’s girlfriend, will Luke ever be able to forgive him?
The Favorite ends with an interesting postscript. As the end credits roll, the viewers are informed that the film’s star, Luke Benjamin Bernard, was in a similar car accident in 2013. The accident left him in a stage 3 coma and, just as happened to Luke in the film, the doctor’s had to remove a portion of Bernard’s skull in order to save his life. Bernard was given little chance of recovery but, to the shock of everyone, he did eventually wake up from his coma. He had to learn how to walk, talk, and write again. He even had to re-learn how to swallow and eat solid food. Much like the film’s Luke, the real Luke made remarkable progress in his recovery, completing rehab in three weeks. While in the hospital, Bernard had a dream about two brothers who were dealing with the same thing that he was dealing with. That dream led to Bernard writing the script for The Favorite, with Benjamin and Luke representing two sides of himself and his recovery. The film ends with a shot of him giving a motivational speech and I don’t care how cynical you may be, it’s incredibly touching.
It’s a touching film as well. Yes, the budget is low and there are a few scenes that are a bit overwritten. A subplot about Benjamin trying to win the MMA championship felt like it was lifted from a dozen other films. But, in the end, it doesn’t take away from the power of the film’s story or the excellent performances of Bernard, Fahey, and Schneider. This is a heartfelt movie, one that celebrates the love of family and the promise of hope.
Through the Shattered Lens 