A Simple Favor
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively. Henry Golding
Directed by: Paul Feig
Rated: R
What if Gone Girl and Big Little Lies were mixed together to make a dark comedy? We have our answer in the twisty thriller cocktail, A Simple Favor. The film explores themes involving marriage, motherhood, and the dark secrets underneath a seemingly perfect facade.
A Simple Favor follows Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) a single mom/vlogger who becomes friends with the very mysterious Emily (Blake Lively). When Emily goes missing, Stephanie takes an active role in finding out what happened. Mystery lurks at every turn and no one can be trusted.
Director Paul Feig blends the suspense thriller and dark comedy genres in A Simple Favor to make for a twisty ride through two complicated women's lives. Feig is unafraid to satirize the world of social media throughout the film, particularly vlogging. We see Stephanie run a mommy blog, complete with recipes, crafts, and tips for a happy home. This vlog becomes a way to fill in the audience on Emily's disappearance. With each vlog entry, Feig is not only moving the story along, but exploring more of Stephanie's character and the strange world of Internet vlogging.
Anna Kendrick is great as Stephanie, the seemingly perfect mom. To the parents at her child's school, it appears she has it all together. Things take a turn when she becomes friends with Emily. She quickly finds herself in uncharted waters dealing with a very unpredictable person. It becomes clear that behind her well tailored vlog, there are several dark secrets gnawing at her.
Blake Lively is absolutely fantastic as Emily, the mysterious friend of Stephanie. Just wait until you see her in this performance. She is here to put on a show! From the second she's introduced, there's an air of unpredictability about her. You never know what she'll do or say. She's an enigma. Lively plays the role with an energy that keeps the audience fascinated with her from start to finish. What works so well between Emily and Stephanie is the fact that they're polar opposite characters. Emily is the rich career woman and Stephanie is the middle class stay-at-home mom. Is it possible for such different individuals to be friends? The film looks at these different worlds through the lens of a judgmental society.
Henry Golding is proving to be quite the leading man with his second major film role in less than a month. In A Simple Favor he plays Emily’s husband, Sean, a former writer turned college professor. Let’s just say Sean may not be the Prince Charming that Nick was in Crazy Rich Asians, but Golding shows off some impressive acting range. He seems to be a kind husband, but there's something a little bit off about him. Side note- Can we start a petition for him to play James Bond? I’ve seen other people mention this and I’m ALL ABOUT IT! He would be the perfect James Bond.
The fashion in this movie is impeccable. Not only does costume designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus make pristine choices for each character, she tells a story with each costume through the character’s development. Emily is a dominant character which is reflected through her costumes, particularly by her pantsuits. Stephanie is a cookie cutter mom. She dresses in feminine tops and skirts. However after Emily‘s disappearance, Stephanie begins to dress in a more dominant manner directly mimicking Emily's style. Each scene boasts a wardrobe choice that tells a story of its own.
As I mentioned previously, there are several twists in A Simple Favor. Some of these twists happen so quickly that they end up feeling a bit rushed. I think a few scenes could have either been taken out of the movie or explained a bit more to get a better grip on the story.
With all of that being said, A Simple Favor is a wild and fun time at the movies. Just when you think you know what to expect, the movie takes a sharp turn in an entirely different direction. If you like your thrillers with a hint of cynicism and splash of dark comedy: this is the movie for you.
My Rating: 8/10