Listen HereBy: Olivia Wile
Twitter: o_wile
Email: wileo@findlay.edu
‘Tis the season for scary movies, but if you’re not quite the scare extraordinaire, “A Simple Favor” may be the movie for you.
Beside the fact the film stars power duo Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, the movie has a pretty captivating plot that engages the audience and truly makes them think.
Released about a month ago, the movie made a little over $16 million during its debut weekend. The film is an adaptation of the novel written by Darcey Bell.
The movie follows Stephanie Smothers, played by Kendrick, a suburban-single mom who does the absolute most for her little boy, Miles. As an overachieving, want-to-be super parent, Kendrick’s character finds herself the outcast among the other parents. This is until she meets Emily Nelson, played by Lively, even though Nelson drastically contrasts from Smothers. Lively’s character is the unenthusiastic mom, the one who treats parenthood as a part-time job, rather than her ultimate reason for living.
After forming an odd, but functional friendship because of their elementary-aged sons, the two begin spending more and more time together. That is until Lively mysteriously disappears.
On the quest to unravel the case, Kendrick and Lively’s husband Sean, played by Henry Golding, begin to realize there are many things Lively has been hiding from them.
Overall, I would say “A Simple Favor” stays pretty true to its 85 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating. It’s intricate plot, star cast, and excellent score make it one of the more entertaining films I’ve seen within the last year.
When it comes to the plot, there are several scenes that prompt viewers to make predictions, only to find they are right on target or completely off the mark. We also never truly know which character to believe, making the film that much more exhilarating.
The music in the movie, though subtle, is a masterpiece in of itself. Several of the songs are in French, which add to the mysterious, spy-like tone of the film. There are some car sing-alongs to solving a mystery, each song matches each scene rather perfectly.
Finally, as soon as the trailer was released for this film, fans have been anticipating the Kendrick/Lively collaboration. I must admit, though I felt Kendrick’s character stayed pretty true to her usual castings, (this part was weird, sorry for the spoiler) aside from maybe sleeping with her half-brother. It was Lively’s character was not what I was expecting.
Though I have never watched an episode of Gossip Girl, Lively’s claim to fame, or seen her act in any other film, my perception of her was very different than the infamous Emily Nelson she played. After I got over that however, I thought she did a great job capturing the blasé-blasé, mysterious murderer.
If it is still in theaters near you and want to watch the beautiful Blake Lively on the big screen, or you’re looking for a mild-thriller, I would strongly suggest checking this film out!
