"A Simple Favor" Movie Review

11 out of 12

The best movies and stories are the ones with a character who is always a step ahead of the others. A Simple Favor distorts who is a protagonist, who is an antagonist, and who is actually telling the truth, and the best part is audiences can never guess who will win this intricate game of deceit and manipulation.

Anna Kendrick plays a single mom named Stephanie in A Simple Favor who meets Blake Lively’s character, Emily, when their young sons demand a play date. These two develop a friendship full of martinis, secret sharing, and small favors, until the sudden disappearance of Emily begins to shed light on who they really are. They may appear to be different types of characters, but as the movie progresses, they begin to align more and more with each other, making the witty, and sarcastic banter they toss back and forth at each other remarkably entertaining.

A Simple Favor builds up the mystery perfectly. It makes audiences question what they think they know. And then, there’s the finale that no one sees coming. The favor that initiates this whole story is simple. Discerning who’s the good guy and who’s the bad guy is not.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?