After the controversial remake of Ghostbusters bombed in 2016, it seemed as though the reception had really taken a toll on the writer/director, Paul Feig; reading through the e-mails from the Sony Hacking, it’s clear to understand that this was a contractual obligation to satisfy Amy Pascal, the former CEO turned producer who put him on the task. Feig clearly didn’t want to do the movie from the beginning, and rewatching it, you can tell his heart was just not in the right place; from the jokes, to the performances, the behind the scenes rumors, the special effects...had I reviewed the movie now, I wouldn’t have been as nice as I was then, but mostly just to vent my frustration with Pascal and how poorly she’s been handling things.
It made it look as though the director was losing his touch, but now Feig has made the same career move as John Krasinski and Jordan Peele: take a shot at doing horror/thriller. This brings us to his newest film, A Simple Favor. Based on the book by Darcy Bell, and adapted by Jessica Sharzer, A Simple Favor follows Stephanie, a widowed mother who befriends Emily, a business woman who suddenly goes missing. While she’s gone, Stephanie tries to figure out if she truly is gone, or if this is something much more elaborate.
A Simple Favor is one of those films that I was happy was given the kind of marketing it needed, because it is as much a guessing game as the trailers make it look. The best way to describe it, is that it's like if Gone Girl were done as a comedy, but that's as far as I can go without spoilers. Feig truly stepped out of his comfort zone; there is never a moment where the two tones of comedy and suspense feel out of place, and it feels like a natural situation that feels like would come about in this manner. Not only that, but the soundtrack being filled with French songs that sound both soothing and nerve racking at the same time, was a very fitting choice.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are fantastic, playing opposite each other, giving a representation of their different social classes and how their particular human connectivity differs; with Kendrick’s naivety as a mother with a blog and Lively’s cryptic, but confidently suspicious business woman attitude, you always feel like there’s something being planned that you’re waiting for Kendrick to pick up, but you feel just as wrapped up as she is. I also love how even though Lively does disappear in the film, it feels like her presence is to that of Tyler Durant’s from Fight Club, like she’s there, but we’re not quite there noticing it. Normally, it’d be a longshot to say, but after last year’s inclusive choices possibly expanding, maybe we’ll expect Lively to come about in Oscar conversations.
Henry Golding does great as the husband with being a guy simply caught up in the middle of this chaos. I already noticed him gain attention with Crazy Rich Asians, but here he truly got to show off a little more of his dramatic side. Heck, I even enjoyed the two kid actors that played the sons; while I could tell it’s the typical “child performance,” the way the cast handles it makes it all the more hilarious.
If there was a downside, I would say it would have to be the ending; I don’t want to give it away out of fear of spoilers, but let’s just say there were some cliches present that I felt was done a little bit too standard. Not bad, just felt pretty basic for a film that was taking some risky turns.
If you get the chance to see this, definitely give A Simple Favor a moment of your time. With it’s intriguing mystery, it’s irresistible characters, a mystery that builds with interest, and dialogue and direction that blend comedy and thrills together, it’s a definitive return to glory for Paul Feig.
Rating: B+
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