Paul Feig has made a name for himself by placing extra focus on female-driven stories, which has paid off mostly well. But he has always kept his footing in his roots, which is comedy. A Simple Favor marks the first time when he veers away from his broad sensibilities and play with a different genre, that being a mystery/thriller. It’s different from his action-comedy work in films like Heat and Spy in the sense that while the comedy is certainly present, the focus is more on the mystery, and keeping that as the thing for the audience to latch onto.
The film is based on the book of the same name by Darcey Bell, and adapted by Jessica Sharzer. It’s about a single mother/vlogger, Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), who forms an unlikely friendship with Emily (Blake Lively). However, Emily soon disappears, leaving Stephanie and Emily’s husband, Sean (Henry Golding), wondering what happened, especially as more information is discovered leading Stephanie to believe she didn’t know her friend as much as she thought.
Despite being a bit of a departure for Paul Feig, he really nails the way a good mystery leaves its hooks with lurid and twisty details. The film is largely about secrets, how they shape and inform you, how they change you, and the effects of keeping them inside without a healthy outlet. But even with that, the film manages to avoid any heavy handed messaging, keeping its grasp on the mechanics of the mystery and the ever changing dynamics of the characters.
That’s where the film shines the most. The performances are stellar. Kendrick has a naturally poppy liability to her that is utilized very well by being a contrast to the darker subject matters that are brought up throughout the film, especially with a really wild reveal that happens fairly early on about her character’s past. Henry Golding shines, bringing in that same charm that made him lovable in Crazy Rich Asians, but once again, it’s utilized in a way to subvert expectations and contrast it with the darker material. The real revelation – although, I do think she’s proven herself a very fine actress several times already but whatever – is Blake Lively. Her character is an enigma, and has traits that, under less delicate hands, would make her deeply unlikable and uninteresting. She manages to walk the tightrope in a way that feels effortless, and a lot of it comes from the way she balances sharp one-liners and a sinister undercurrent. We haven’t seen Lively like this before, and I hope to see more of this kind of energy.
The film has a certain style to it, and while comparisons are likely to be made to something like Gone Girl, the film is more in line with the wisecracking noirs of the late 50s and 60s. It’s more colorful, more melodramatic, it’s not particularly broody, and a lot of it rests on the charms of its leads than the web of plot points. Paul Feig has never been the most visually gifted filmmaker out there, but he’s solid enough, and he manages to capture the spirit of those older films well without resorting to hollow pastiche. Much of it coming from a soundtrack, which is full of French pop, and some divine costuming. If I had to nitpick about anything, it’s probably that the film maybe feels a bit longer than it needs to, and while it pays off well enough, the presence of Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, and Aparna Nancherla as these parents, whose kids go to the same school as Stephanie’s kid, often feel like they interrupt the film to do some shtick that feels like it was ripped out of a typical Feig comedy. It just felt a bit out of place.
A Simple Favor might not be the kind of film that pops up in a lot of Best of 2018 lists, but I can see it being one of those reliable home favorites that people put on so they can relax, and have a good time. It’s twisted, but not so twisted as to alienate a chunk of the audience, it’s funny, but not too funny as to make it seem like the mystery isn’t taken seriously, and that’s all stuff that is really hard to do. Even as someone who was looking forward to this, I was very pleasantly surprised by how engrossing it was and how it balanced its tone well. It’s well performed, it’s effortlessly engaging, and it’s simply a blast. Check it out, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.