From the director of Bridesmaids comes… a thriller? A Simple Favor is a twisty turvy delight from Paul Feig, best known for comedic fare—and while this Anna Kendrick/Blake Lively starrer still has plenty of laughs, its strengths lies in its unpredictable plot and charismatic characters.
A Simple Favor thrives on an energetic screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, working from a novel by Darcey Bell. Anna Kendrick, doing her best Anna Kendrick impersonation, is a burst of sugar as the bubbly, seemingly innocent “perfect mom” who pairs surprisingly nicely with the sexy but hardly warm Blake Lively, reveling in what could be the best performance of her career. The two have unlikely chemistry with one another and appear to be having a lot of fun with this genre-defying flick.
Fun is the key word here. A Simple Favor isn’t perfect—it doesn’t always transition from comedy to thriller and back again very well, the mystery itself isn’t quite as interesting in hindsight, and a few plot maneuvers near the end don’t entirely work—but it is consistently fun.
It’s also smart and compelling. The plot urges you forward, its end goal unpredictable. Every character—including Kendrick’s—has ulterior motives. The climax is satisfying.
A Simple Favor isn’t amazing, but do yourself a favor and watch this fun little film anyway.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.