A Simple Favor (2018)

“A Simple Favor” (2018) is a movie that spends its entire run time trying to figure out what genre it is. 

Anna Kendrick played the ultimate Pinterest mom, while Blake Lively played a woman who likes 1920’s Zoot Suits just a little too much.

As is her style, Kendrick’s character was cute-quirky, in a way that made every single thing she did feel like she was making some kind of joke that she was in on, and was holding back giggles while she waited for the audience to catch on.

Unfortunately, Kendrick was the only person who seemed to be aware that this movie was apparently supposed to be a comedy. Lively, and mid-supporting Henry Golding, played their roles with far too much seriousness.

Because of these two completely divergent character/acting mindsets, the movie oscillated wildly between being trying to be a silly who-done-it comedy and being a very serious murder-mystery.

Obviously, those two genres don’t go well together without some very careful planning and execution from the director.

Unfortunately, the director did not develop the script as tightly as it needed to be to work.

And: someone in the writer’s room clearly threw in some psychological thriller tropes, because we all know those are the glue that holds a movie together. 

I am a sucker for movies that like to add quick flashbacks at a moment’s notice, without holding the audience’s hand through the multiple scenes, while still pushing plot points or character development (if there’s a particular term for this trope, please let me know). Feig did get that one right, so credit where credit is due. 

Kendrick’s character went through some “character development” that was mostly a plot device to drive the story forward - per what the audience saw, there wasn’t an obvious way for Kendrick to develop the way she did, so her character arc felt lumpy and lurching.

Lively, on the other hand, felt very consistent throughout, with her character’s tone fitting from beginning to end.

Much of the ‘serious’ plot felt like the storyline from season one of “The Sinner,” while the comedy side felt like Kendrick’s previous movie, “Mr. Right” (2015).

For the script being 90% Kendrick and Lively talking to each other, they clearly passed the Bechtel Test, which... I would hope so. They were the leads. If they failed that one, I’d be impressed.

I hadn’t even heard of this movie until I found out that my favorite musical composition team wrote a piece for the score, and curiosity got the better of me.

If you’re a hardcore fan of Kendrick’s quirky style, you’ll probably enjoy this; a moderate appreciation won’t do it.

Otherwise: I’d recommend you watch the shows “Imposters” or “The Sinner” instead.