By Robert Yaniz Jr.

DAY 30 OF THE 2018 HOLIDAY BINGE

A fun mashup of comedy and thriller silences the haters still holding a vendetta against Paul Feig.

THE HYPE

Going into A Simple Favor, it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect. The film comes from director Paul Feig, whose filmography has been dominated by female-led comedies (Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy), but it was marketed as a Gone Girl-esque thriller. Then, of course, there’s the controversy behind Feig’s 2016 Ghostbusters reboot (much more on that here). So does the film adaptation of Darcey Bell’s 2017 novel play its mystery-laden tale straight or purely for laughs?

THE STORY

Both actually. A Simple Favor centers on parenting vlogger Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), whose friendship with the enigmatic Emily (Blake Lively) takes a dark turn when the latter suddenly goes missing. Forced to deal with the aftermath, Stephanie begins to realize that she didn’t know Emily nearly as well as she thought she did. What makes the film such a hoot is how it plays into expectations of an adult thriller and then upends them, launching into full-on lunacy that stays true to the genre and simultaneously parodies it.

THE CAST

Kendrick’s quirky likability is a key element in what makes A Simple Favor work so well. Because her onscreen persona leans toward the lighter side of things, her casting blurs the lines between comedy and thriller even moreso. In the process, Kendrick gives one of her best performances in ages. Likewise, Lively embraces a darker edge that enables her too to play against type. Both actresses completely nail the specific tone Feig is shooting for, and Crazy Rich Asians‘ Henry Golding presents the perfect fulcrum for them to play off of.

THE PRODUCTION

A Simple Favor isn’t only one of Feig’s most ambitious projects as far as balancing two seemingly incompatible tones. It is also easily one of his slickest. The filmmaking here feels as sophisticated as Emily’s wardrobe, conveying character and plot with subtlety and nuance throughout. Perhaps more impressively, its ability to toy with viewers who think they know where it’s all heading — kudos to screenwriter Jessica Sharzer — is truly admirable. Even the Theodore Shapiro score feels tailor-made for a twist-laden thriller.

THE VERDICT

If there’s one film this year who probably got a raw deal on the marketing side of things, it’s A Simple Favor. Understandably, Lionsgate likely didn’t know which genre to focus on, worried that revealing the comedic bent would undermine its box office potential. And, as a result, audiences were left to assume that Feig’s latest was a more generic film than it actually is. With any luck, that will change in the months and years ahead, as A Simple Favor might easily find new life as a cult classic.

A Simple Favor stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend and Jean Smart and is directed by Paul Feig.