Released September 14, 2018, A Simple Favor, starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding is a twisting tale of mischief and mystery.
The thrilling drama follows online mom-blogger, Stephanie, and her newfound friendship with the mysterious, and incredibly blunt, Emily Nelson. After meeting in their sons’ kindergarten class, the two become best friends, bonding over after-school martinis. But their high-tone hangouts come to an abrupt end when Emily suddenly goes missing. As Stephanie attempts to dig through Emily’s past in order to find her whereabouts, she discovers dark truths and shocking secrets.
While Stephanie is introduced as quirky and passive, her people-pleasing nature makes a point to transform throughout the storyline. As she takes initiative on Emily’s case, she adopts important lessons, such as kicking the stereotypically female habit of frequently apologizing. Stephanie’s character emerges stronger and more independent by the end of the film.
While the film is classified as a thriller, it is consistently highlighted by elements of comedy; the central characters develop through their comedic dialogue and interactions with one another. And as far as the missing-person turned murder mystery plot goes, the constant twists and turns causes the film’s series of events to be so far-fetched, they almost appears to be a satire of crime mysteries.
Nevertheless, the film–whether it was intended to be presented as serious or plain comedy–has great entertainment value, and extracts a very interactive audience reaction. A Simple Favor will leave you gasping with shock, and laughing until your stomach hurts.