Review of A Simple Favor (2018) by Davrosdaleks1 — 15 Sep 2018

I wasn't initially going to see this. I'd been let down by similar neonoir mystery dramas before. (Felt Gone Girl was just okay and Girl on a Train was disappointing.) Then I heard the positive reviews and changed my mind. I'm glad I did.

Director Paul Feig took the story from what appears to be a more serious book with very mixed reviews on Amazon.com and added humor and a bit of fun to the proceedings. The dark parts are appropriately lurid, but this isn't a dire slog. Witty dialogue and a game cast alleviate the proceedings.

Although Blake Lively does a great job as the mysterious woman who goes missing (and hats off to whoever designed her clothes, they are fantastic), this is Anna Kendricks' film. As the slightly oddball, mommy vlogger Stephanie Smothers, Kendricks has the part nailed down a both physically and verbally as she quirkily deals with people.

There are a couple flaws. The switch between drama and humor is a little jarring a in a few spots. The second act drags a little, and a few character decisions in the third act were rushed a bit.

Overall, I'd recommend this.