“A Simple Favor” transforms Darcey Bell’s novel into a stylish-thriller comedy. The film takes the books mystery, and bringing it to life visually with sharp humor and bold visuals. The movie entertains viewers through its clever blend of suspense as well as comedy. Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick’s chemistry on screen shines with each of their characters being so different but slowly start to learn things from each other. I don’t think I can do it justice in words, so heres a little visual.
How Did I Learn About this Story?
I can remember almost exactly when I found out about this story. I think I was about 16 and I was mindlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed when a sleek, mysterious image caught my eye. It was the first ad I’d seen for a movie called “A Simple Favor,” and I was instantly intrigued. The poster showed only Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively’s names with a martini glass with french music playing, and I was instantly stopped in my scroll. I thought that this was such an interesting combination of actresses since they both traditionally are seen in different genres of movies, so when I saw them working together I knew that it was going to be good. There was no video trailer out at this point until I think about a month or two after that, but I remember that Blake Lively had deleted everything on her account just to premier the trailer; so naturally I had to watch it, especially when I found out it was a psychological thriller. After viewing, I was instantly excited and captivated and couldn’t wait to see it in theaters. It seemed to be full of so much mystery, comedy, secrets, and everything else in between (and let me tell you it was).
My Experience
There are so many different words that can be used to explain my experience watching A Simple Favor. I remember settling into my seat at the movie theater, popcorn in hand, not quite sure what to expect from “A Simple Favor”, and thinking from the ad I saw “what happened to Emily?”. As the film began, I was immediately drawn in by the sharp contrast between Anna Kendrick’s cheerful, slightly awkward, dainty character and Blake Lively’s iconic, martini-sipping, magnetic powerhouse. The story unfolded like a puzzle, each revelation more surprising than the last. I found myself leaning forward, completely captivated in the twists and turns of the plot. The film’s dark humor caught me off guard in the best way possible, filling the room with unexpected laughs in the middle of the building tension. I was constantly guessing, trying to piece together the mystery of Emily’s disappearance. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another curveball would leave me jaw dropped. By the time the credits rolled, I felt like I’d been on a wild ride. The stylish visuals, clever dialogue, and stellar performances left me filled with excitement. I couldn’t wait to discuss all the shocking moments with my friends, already planning a rewatch when it would come to Netflix to catch any clues I might have missed. “A Simple Favor” was anything but simple, and that’s exactly what made the experience so thrilling. I also wanted to note that it ironically takes place in Connecticut.
Isolating Features
A Simple Favor is full of different features that are combined to make this film unfold so effortlessly. The film’s polished aesthetic, highlighted by Emily’s impeccable style, initially creates a sense of sophistication. However, this surface-level glamour is just covering the darkness that lies underneath it all. The film is set in a seemingly idyllic suburban neighborhood, which contrasts with the dark events unfolding. This creates a sense of isolation for the characters, especially Stephanie, who feels out of place in this environment. At the beginning of the film, Stephanie is portrayed as a lonely single mother who doesn’t quite fit in with the other parents. Her eagerness to volunteer and her “mommy vlog” highlight her attempts to connect, which often fall don’t go very well. On the other hand, Emily is deliberately portrayed as a mystery. Her behavior and background are hard to pin down, which isolates her from others and makes her intriguing to Stephanie. Not only does it makes her intriguing to Stephanie, it makes her very alluring to the viewers as well. The aspect of the plot where we go on the journey with Stephanie as she digs deeper and deeper into Emily’s life story shaped the experience of the film. We learn a lot about Stephanie and who she is in the beginning but the way we had to learn about Emily at the same time as her was such a great feature; even the parts where we thought we had it all figured out and another shoe drops. A key moment of this was when Stephanie learned about Emily’s true identity as well as her real name and a twin sister that she had murdered. Stephanie as well as us learned that they weren’t just twins, they were triplets. Hope, Faith, and Charity. The storyline constantly unraveling in combination with the evolution of the characters, and the individuality of their personalities made the film one to watch. Almost every character in the film has secrets, creating emotional barriers between them. This lies and deception isolates characters from one another, as they can’t truly connect or trust each other.
What Techniques Created these Features?
The great use of different features throughout the duration of this film came from a plethora of different techniques. To start, there were many different plot twists in this film, and many unexpected things happened. The frequent revelations and surprises make the film feel constantly shifting and unstable, which is what makes it interesting. There are major revelations, like Emily’s true identity and the existence of a third sister, Stephanies involvement, continually challenges us as an audience and keeps the suspense going. Both main characters have significant character development throughout the film, with Stephanie’s transformation from a gentle mom to a confident investigator being pretty remarkable. I feel like she takes on certain parts of Emily’s personality and uses them to make her a little stronger. The contrast between Stephanie’s initial innocence and Emily’s mysterious sophistication creates an dynamic that draws viewers in. As their relationship evolves, it keeps the audience emotionally invested because of how seemingly close they get. The use of witty banter and sharp dialogue makes the film feel smart and sophisticated while adding different layers of growing context and dark humor that are engaging.
