I get that most dark mystery thrillers lean more towards the serious side, but why can’t it also be a fun trashy experience? That’s where “A Simple Favor” comes in. Director Paul Feig uses his experience doing comedic films, and brings quite a bit of that tone into this movie rather convincingly. I think his style benefits this story, because as it progressively reveals the deliciously scandalous twists and turns, it helps that the movie is aware at how ridiculous some of those plot turns can seem. The comedy keeps things in check, and reminds us that we’re suppose to have some fun with it all.
While some people might balk at the idea that this neo-noir thriller is actually embracing a light-hearted attitude toward the material, it’s still very much dead serious about the plot. A good mystery allows us to follow along with the lead character that’s trying to figure out the mystery, and this movie does exactly that. It goes down paths that you might not have even expected, and that’s what makes this a good mystery thriller. I admit that there were some plot turns that seemed absolutely far-fetched, but it didn’t matter as much as it probably should, because I was having too much fun watching the movie.
The two not-so-secret weapons as to what makes this film an absolute delight to watch, are Anna Kendrick as Stephanie, and Blake Lively as Emily. Those two are amazing in this! Anna Kendrick brings the perfect innocent-not-so-innocent bubbly personality to her character, while Blake Lively brings the perfect naughty snarky attitude personality to hers. Those two distinct character differences gives the two an excellent counterpoint to each other, while the Actresses works their magic by showing us their great chemistry working together.
Not to be completely over shadowed by the two, Henry Golding as Sean also leaves a really indelible spot in the movie. Seeing Sean get drawn into the mystery with Emily and Stephanie, and seeing how he fits in to this movie, you start to realize that while it seemed like this movie is a vehicle for Kendrick and Lively, it really had to have Golding as the third lead character to make this story even stronger. Watching how each one of the characters interact with one another is part of the fun of this movie.
Needless to say, it’s hard to dive deep into “A Simple Favor” without talking spoilers, so I’ll leave it with these final thoughts. While I think the characters and the mystery are what will keep you glued to the screen until the very end, there are other elements that makes this so entertaining. There’s the little fun moments that’s all over the place, the captivating conversations between the lead characters, Blake Lively’s wardrobe, and the soundtrack that just perfectly compliments the overall tone of the movie. So if my feelings for this movie isn’t obvious already, I absolutely had a lot of fun watching this enjoyable flick!
LOVED IT enjoyeditlikedititsokayitsmehitsterrible
