There is nothing simple about A Simple Favour

By Leah Martindale, Third Year, Film

Hi Moms! This is how not to get away with murder.

I want to keep this as spoiler-free as possible as I genuinely want everyone to see A Simple Favour in cinema with the same suspense, shock, and pleasant surprises I was captivated by. I undertook this article with the distinct expectation of an incoming disappointment. In that respect, I suppose I was let down.

There were only two features of the film that I knew on entering the cinema: first, it starred Anna Kendrick - a woman who has left me consistently underwhelmed and managed, in a film featuring Rebel Wilson high-kicking a trained agent in the face, to be the least convincing character.

Secondly, Blake Lively stars as well - only known to me peripherally from her recurrent role in the perpetually perplexing, ever-popular Gossip Girl (2007), in which I can only assume she played the titular girl of gossip.

I am never usually a fan of psychological thrillers for two reasons: I’m a big baby and a cynic. But, A Simple Favour managed to balance these elements with an occasional levity, reasonably plausible plot and frankly stunning visuals. The thrill and shock come not only from the central narrative, which twists and winds like the Nile, but also the supplementing flashbacks, which are spectacles played in fantastic, breath-taking technicolour.

Stephanie (Kendrick) is the mother to end all mothers. Perpetually happy, ever the volunteer, mommy vlogger supreme, she harbours a troubled past and smothers it in icing sugar and sprinkles. Emily (Lively) is a sequence of mysteries and misery wrapped up neatly in a mind-boggling fallen angel in a suit. Her suave, sexy nonchalance is equal parts enticing and intimidating. You’d never dare say anything to her face, but my god would you have a lot to say behind her back.

Their unlikely friendship, reminiscent of the viral video of a lion and dachshund pairing, is the epicentre to this whirlwind of a story. While always aligning eventually with Stephanie, you would be hard pushed to find a character more devilishly beguiling than Emily. Her husband’s unflinching adoration of her, despite everything she has done, is a testimony to this.

The film does, at times, fall into my own pet-peeve of the genre, of overegging the spooky pudding so much that the thrills become stifling and the whodunnits become whodidn’ts. But, at these moments the film sharply turns into unfamiliar territories when you are yet again left unsure who to sympathise with, and worst, who to trust.

The far-fetchedness of the plot did become wearying by the end though, and while I could suspend my disbelief for jump-scare-esque moments like a walk-in-wardrobe’s worth of clothes magically re-appearing, the further on it got the less my disbelief was suspended and the more it was tight-rope walking.

Spoiler: the thought that the criminal mastermind that is Emily would jeopardise things so spectacularly by making constant contact with her son just to send bitchy cryptic notes to her ‘best friend’ rests somewhere between the illogical and genuine fantasy.

There are other potential holes to the film: Stephanie is adamant that Emily adores her son despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary, and that Sean loves his wife based on one steamy midday makeout session. This could either be indicative of lazy writing and an element of two-dimensionality to Kendrick’s character, or rather of her utter illogical desperacy to make a friend, despite knowing essentially nothing of her.

Her constant reiterances of the fact they are best friends is another sign of this, as we only see the women hang out a handful of times, and as Darren says in a cheeky aside to his cherubim daughter, Stephanie is essentially free help.

The Legally Blonde style comedic recap ending took me out of the moment somewhat, with onscreen text of what had happened to them in later life and a final catch up with our anti-hero, but it was a nice moment of gaiety to end on, instead of the sombre bittersweetness of the penultimate scene. However, despite any former criticisms, the film is stellar, and while illogical at times, is still a wholly enjoyable experience. This is, quite literally, one to watch.

Featured Image: Twitter / @ASimpleFavor

What did you think was the biggest twist of A Simple Favour?

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