"A Simple Favor" Movie Review

What would you do if your best friend went missing? Would you search day and night and turn over every stone, or would you let the cops handle it? What if you found out that your friend had a dark past that became increasingly stranger the more you discovered? Would you keep digging or give up?

The film follows single mom Stephanie who works as a vlogger (video blogger) and does what she can to help others in her community. She meets Emily, a snobby city girl who works as Director of Public Relations for a designer clothing company. The two hit it off and quickly become friends. One day, Emily mysteriously takes off and is not heard from for several days. The police begin investigating and so does Stephanie. What Stephanie uncovers is harrowing, making her come to the realization that her friend Emily is not the person she thought she was.

The film was a bit slow at first but once it got its footing, it became an immersive mystery that delivered on thrills and erotic fun. Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively had incredible chemistry. There was never a dull moment with those two. Blake proved she had incredible range. She usually plays characters that are down-to-earth and sweet. You know, the good girl type. In this, she was high class, a total snob, and mean-spirited. The funny thing is, she's incredible at it! Anna was her usual bubbly bumbly self, but for once it actually did the character justice because of how innocent and awkward she was. I'd say this was one of the best roles for both women.

The only real issue I had with the film was the first 15-20 minutes. The whole premise hinges on Stephanie being so distraught over her best friend Emily's disappearance that she feels the need to do some of her own investigating. But from what we see of Emily n the beginning, she's mean and highly unlikable. She helps Stephanie break out of her shell a little bit but at the same time berates and demeans her. If I were Stephanie, I would't be friends with Emily, let alone search day and night for her.

Aside from that, the story worked very well, almost feeling like a cross between The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl. There was humor, likable and unlikable characters, twists both unforeseen and foreseen, and a sprinkle of humor both light and dark.

In conclusion, I was happy with the film. I was never bored and had a ton of fun. I give this film a 3 out of 4.