If you haven’t heard of it, a Simple Favor is a movie just released on September 14th. The trailers try to bring in audiences with Blake Lively’s character; a mysterious woman gone missing or, maybe, the trailer hints, maybe she left on purpose. Anna Kendrick is her mundane friend who is searching everywhere to find Lively’s character Emily. And Henry Golding (from Crazy Rich Asians), is supposedly Emily’s distant but loving husband. Honestly, it looked fine to me, but just fine. I figured if I ever saw it, I would be at the discount theater watching it a few months from now, but my roommate had other plans.
So, my friends and I went to the theater with the candy we had smuggled in from a convenience store. I was still not convinced that this movie was worth my money. Worst-case-scenario, it would be a fun night with friends. The first few minutes didn’t really prove me wrong, it was funny enough but not the mysterious chase the trailers had promised. Surely enough, I was proved wrong.
I won’t put spoilers in here, I think everyone should go experience this movie from themself, but let me say that the movie definitely has twists and turns I didn’t see coming from a mile away.
A Simple Favor is a dark, quirky film that would be great for any night out with friends. Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding work together beautifully to create a narrative full of suspense, confusion, and multiple betrayals. The trailers did not do it justice. The lackluster narrative presented in the trailers is completely usurped by the actual plot.
The movie is still playing at our friendly Mt. Pleasant Celebration Cinema. If you find yourself with free time on your hands, you know where to go.