Though it’s based on a novel, most of you would not have heard of this movie by Paul Feig, the studio and their marketing team haven’t gone out of their way to create a buzz around it even with the stars involved. So is A Simple Favour (or Favor for our American readers) a movie worth watching?
Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), is a widowed single mother and YouTuber who meets Emily, a high profile sophisticated woman and the mother of her son’s friend. Completely fascinated by this powerful woman, Stephanie begins to grow a close friendship with her but one day Emily suddenly vanishes without a trace.
Frustrated and worried, Stephanie uses her platform on YouTube to find out what has happened to her friend while also keeping everyone up to date with the case. In the process, she befriends Emily’s husband, Sean, and takes on caring for him and his son very quickly. As the investigation starts, police begin to suspecting that Sean and Stephanie had something to do with Emily’s disappearance. Stephanie realises that she can’t trust anyone, not even herself.
There is very little that can be revealed about the plot without giving away too much, but it can be said that A Simple Favour is a mixture of mystery crime and dark comedy that is incredibly stylish and sleek. While there are weaknesses in the story and ridiculous scenarios that were added to allow the story to reach the desired conclusion, it is still enormously enjoyable if you can forgive some of its silliness.
The plot is filled with twists and turns that will keep you genuinely thrilled and guessing right until the big reveal, even then it will lead you to question each character’s motives. One of the best aspects of the film is the likability of all the characters portrayed and you might just find yourself cheering for the “baddie” as their plan unfolds.
The look and style of A Simple Favour is incredibly classy and sophisticated, everything from the captivating costumes, set designs, to the music featured. Yet, it doesn’t quite take itself too seriously which adds more charm to the film and its lead characters.
Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick have great chemistry on screen, however, the one that stands out is Henry Golding, whose first ever movie is the recently released Crazy Rich Asians.
A Simple Favour hasn’t received massive marketing like some other recent releases but it is definitely one film worth watching. 7/10
A Simple Favour is in cinemas now.
