Does anyone still remember Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig's Lifetime movie?
It was this weird stunt a few years ago, so I'm not sure if it's something that sticks out in anyone's cultural memory. The film, titled A Deadly Adoption (for context, I had to look this up), wasn't really a success, mostly because Ferrell and Wiig took on an impossible task in their attempt to parody a genre that is already inherently funny. Most people laugh when they're watching a Lifetime saga about murderous babysitters or vengeful family members, so what's the use of adding two comedy superstars to the equation? It's not a formula for success, and the film's non-existent footprint is proof of that.
Even if he approaches it in a very different way, director Paul Feig takes on a similar task in A Simple Favor. As many have already noted, this lurid and twisty comedic drama is both a genuine attempt at bringing a wild beach read to life and a parody of the genre's high points, specifically Gone Girl. But if you buy into the notion that Feig and company are poking fun at David Fincher and Gillian Flynn's masterpiece, a new problem presents itself: how can you make fun of a movie that's already hilarious? Contrary to popular belief, Gone Girl is very, very funny. It's dark and disturbing, yes, but its ever-increasing absurdity is part of the point. The humor is subtle, and yet it's undeniably there. Is it even possible for a director to make that quiet undercurrent of malicious humor an obvious part of the narrative structure?
Somewhat to my surprise, Feig actually answers that question with an effective and entertaining bit of sleazy fun, even if it's one that never quite settles on a consistent identity. Until, well, pretty much the last scene, it isn't immediately clear how seriously we should be taking all of this. But as a showcase for Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding, it's so entertaining that all other concerns should be abandoned.
Kendrick stars as Stephanie Smothers, and if you grew up in a suburban school district, you know someone like Stephanie. She's the mom who signs up for a billion things at her son Miles' (Joshua Nadine) school, often to the dismay of the in-crowd of parents (Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, Aparna Nancherla). On top of that, Stephanie is also a mommy vlogger, doling out recipes and life hacks to a steadily growing crowd of fans. In a way, Stephanie's investment in Miles' life is understandable. As we later learn, she suffered a terrible tragedy just a few years before the events of this story, losing her brother and husband in a terrible car accident.
Stephanie's life is permanently altered by the arrival of Emily Nelson (Lively), a public relations officer for fashion icon Dennis Nylon (played by Rupert Friend). Young Nicky Nelson (Ian Ho) happens to be Miles' best friend, which unites Emily and Stephanie for a series of late afternoon get-togethers. To be perfectly clear, these two could not be more different. Emily is the epitome of style and grace, but she's also a foul-mouthed wild child, aided by raw sexuality and a penchant for the unpredictable. Stephanie is mannered and reserved, constantly apologizing and rarely saying how she really feels. Unexpectedly, the two become best friends. Well, at least Stephanie thinks so.
One day, Emily calls to ask for a simple favor- she needs her new friend to pick up Nicky from school. This is pretty typical, so Stephanie agrees. Only Emily never calls back. And she never returns home. By all accounts, Emily has vanished. Stephanie joins forces with Sean (Golding), Emily's writer's block-stricken husband, to find her close confidante, prompting a nationwide search. But in the process, secrets are uncovered about the past of a woman who always wanted to disappear. Stephanie might not like what she finds.
If A Simple Favor never quite finds its voice as a page-turner walking the line between earnestness and light parody, it's still something of a must-see thanks to the core trio of performances. From her very first scene, Lively dominates the screen with a commanding, dangerous, and endlessly fascinating character. And if you're worried that the film's Gone Girl compulsions will inevitably result in an imitation of Rosamund Pike's "cool girl" persona, you can put those fears to rest. Emily Nelson is a different monster altogether, a devil-may-care seductress who may actually be the devil incarnate. Smartly, Lively never plays up the evil in Emily in an overtly maniacal fashion, opting for a much more effective kind of throwaway cruelty.
The wicked manipulation of Lively's Emily finds opposition and submission from both Kendrick and Golding, each bringing something crucial to the table. When the film begins, Kendrick is basically playing a blend of the stereotypical mom and her own screen persona, which makes it all the more delightful when Stephanie takes a dip to the dark side. It's a testament to Kendrick's performance that we're never quite sure where she stands, as there's just the faintest hint of danger behind Stephanie's veneer of suburban shyness. Meanwhile, Golding, who announced himself as a bona fide movie star in last month's Crazy Rich Asians, is even more of a wild card. Is he the one secretly behind all of this? Or is he a victim too? Golding's movie star charms are subverted in a striking way, making Sean a vulnerable and maybe even helpless character.
Feig directs the hell out of these actors, squeezing every last ounce of drama from their posh, manipulative interactions. The dynamic between Lively and Kendrick is especially terrific, to the extent that it virtually carries the first half of the film. Feig is rarely a director who calls attention to himself, often preferring to let his actors and Jessica Sharzer's screenplay do the talking. As a result, A Simple Favor is eminently watchable, a seedy combination of Double Indemnity and Gone Girl, elevated by a particular sense of glossy style.
Still, Feig's comedic take on the paperback thriller is lacking in some notable departments. That aforementioned tonal balance causes some issues for the film's core concept; Feig is stuck between a knowingly cliched series of winks (there's a twin, of course) and a sincere and mysterious drama with real world consequences. To make matters worse, A Simple Favor is also far too long at 117 minutes, especially since Feig only reveals the film's true absurdity during the final stages of the third act.
Nonetheless, when Lively and Kendrick are clearly having a blast, who cares if all the pieces don't fit perfectly? Even as it stumbles in its quest to turn an already funny page-turner into an overtly comedic odyssey of dark secrets and even darker intentions, A Simple Favor remains an intriguing, messy, and often very clever mystery, filled with hilarious twists, abrupt tonal shifts, and a whole lot of raw style.
I noted earlier that it's hard to tell whether we should take any of this seriously. Well, if you really want to get the most out of this experience, just go along for the ride.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7/10)
Images courtesy of Lionsgate
It was this weird stunt a few years ago, so I'm not sure if it's something that sticks out in anyone's cultural memory. The film, titled A Deadly Adoption (for context, I had to look this up), wasn't really a success, mostly because Ferrell and Wiig took on an impossible task in their attempt to parody a genre that is already inherently funny. Most people laugh when they're watching a Lifetime saga about murderous babysitters or vengeful family members, so what's the use of adding two comedy superstars to the equation? It's not a formula for success, and the film's non-existent footprint is proof of that.
Even if he approaches it in a very different way, director Paul Feig takes on a similar task in A Simple Favor. As many have already noted, this lurid and twisty comedic drama is both a genuine attempt at bringing a wild beach read to life and a parody of the genre's high points, specifically Gone Girl. But if you buy into the notion that Feig and company are poking fun at David Fincher and Gillian Flynn's masterpiece, a new problem presents itself: how can you make fun of a movie that's already hilarious? Contrary to popular belief, Gone Girl is very, very funny. It's dark and disturbing, yes, but its ever-increasing absurdity is part of the point. The humor is subtle, and yet it's undeniably there. Is it even possible for a director to make that quiet undercurrent of malicious humor an obvious part of the narrative structure?
Somewhat to my surprise, Feig actually answers that question with an effective and entertaining bit of sleazy fun, even if it's one that never quite settles on a consistent identity. Until, well, pretty much the last scene, it isn't immediately clear how seriously we should be taking all of this. But as a showcase for Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding, it's so entertaining that all other concerns should be abandoned.
Kendrick stars as Stephanie Smothers, and if you grew up in a suburban school district, you know someone like Stephanie. She's the mom who signs up for a billion things at her son Miles' (Joshua Nadine) school, often to the dismay of the in-crowd of parents (Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, Aparna Nancherla). On top of that, Stephanie is also a mommy vlogger, doling out recipes and life hacks to a steadily growing crowd of fans. In a way, Stephanie's investment in Miles' life is understandable. As we later learn, she suffered a terrible tragedy just a few years before the events of this story, losing her brother and husband in a terrible car accident.
Stephanie's life is permanently altered by the arrival of Emily Nelson (Lively), a public relations officer for fashion icon Dennis Nylon (played by Rupert Friend). Young Nicky Nelson (Ian Ho) happens to be Miles' best friend, which unites Emily and Stephanie for a series of late afternoon get-togethers. To be perfectly clear, these two could not be more different. Emily is the epitome of style and grace, but she's also a foul-mouthed wild child, aided by raw sexuality and a penchant for the unpredictable. Stephanie is mannered and reserved, constantly apologizing and rarely saying how she really feels. Unexpectedly, the two become best friends. Well, at least Stephanie thinks so.
One day, Emily calls to ask for a simple favor- she needs her new friend to pick up Nicky from school. This is pretty typical, so Stephanie agrees. Only Emily never calls back. And she never returns home. By all accounts, Emily has vanished. Stephanie joins forces with Sean (Golding), Emily's writer's block-stricken husband, to find her close confidante, prompting a nationwide search. But in the process, secrets are uncovered about the past of a woman who always wanted to disappear. Stephanie might not like what she finds.
If A Simple Favor never quite finds its voice as a page-turner walking the line between earnestness and light parody, it's still something of a must-see thanks to the core trio of performances. From her very first scene, Lively dominates the screen with a commanding, dangerous, and endlessly fascinating character. And if you're worried that the film's Gone Girl compulsions will inevitably result in an imitation of Rosamund Pike's "cool girl" persona, you can put those fears to rest. Emily Nelson is a different monster altogether, a devil-may-care seductress who may actually be the devil incarnate. Smartly, Lively never plays up the evil in Emily in an overtly maniacal fashion, opting for a much more effective kind of throwaway cruelty.
The wicked manipulation of Lively's Emily finds opposition and submission from both Kendrick and Golding, each bringing something crucial to the table. When the film begins, Kendrick is basically playing a blend of the stereotypical mom and her own screen persona, which makes it all the more delightful when Stephanie takes a dip to the dark side. It's a testament to Kendrick's performance that we're never quite sure where she stands, as there's just the faintest hint of danger behind Stephanie's veneer of suburban shyness. Meanwhile, Golding, who announced himself as a bona fide movie star in last month's Crazy Rich Asians, is even more of a wild card. Is he the one secretly behind all of this? Or is he a victim too? Golding's movie star charms are subverted in a striking way, making Sean a vulnerable and maybe even helpless character.
Feig directs the hell out of these actors, squeezing every last ounce of drama from their posh, manipulative interactions. The dynamic between Lively and Kendrick is especially terrific, to the extent that it virtually carries the first half of the film. Feig is rarely a director who calls attention to himself, often preferring to let his actors and Jessica Sharzer's screenplay do the talking. As a result, A Simple Favor is eminently watchable, a seedy combination of Double Indemnity and Gone Girl, elevated by a particular sense of glossy style.
Still, Feig's comedic take on the paperback thriller is lacking in some notable departments. That aforementioned tonal balance causes some issues for the film's core concept; Feig is stuck between a knowingly cliched series of winks (there's a twin, of course) and a sincere and mysterious drama with real world consequences. To make matters worse, A Simple Favor is also far too long at 117 minutes, especially since Feig only reveals the film's true absurdity during the final stages of the third act.
Nonetheless, when Lively and Kendrick are clearly having a blast, who cares if all the pieces don't fit perfectly? Even as it stumbles in its quest to turn an already funny page-turner into an overtly comedic odyssey of dark secrets and even darker intentions, A Simple Favor remains an intriguing, messy, and often very clever mystery, filled with hilarious twists, abrupt tonal shifts, and a whole lot of raw style.
I noted earlier that it's hard to tell whether we should take any of this seriously. Well, if you really want to get the most out of this experience, just go along for the ride.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7/10)
Images courtesy of Lionsgate
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