A Simple Favor
2018 · Directed by Paul Feig
Original language: English
- thriller
- comedy
- mystery
The story
Stephanie, a dedicated mother and popular vlogger, befriends Emily, a mysterious upper-class woman whose son Nicky attends the same school as Miles, Stephanie's son. When Emily asks her to pick Nicky up from school and then disappears, Stephanie undertakes an investigation that will dive deep into Emily's cloudy past.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated suburban daylight with a glossy, polished sheen: pastel knitwear, sleek modernist interiors, and the cool white glare of a Connecticut town where every lawn is trimmed and every kitchen is immaculate. Paul Feig frames his scenes with busy, quick-cut editing, split screens and vlog-style direct address, so the picture keeps snapping between warmth and unease. The score is buoyant and playful, with pop cues that undercut each tense beat. Its vibe is sleek, sardonic and giddy, a glamorous cocktail of suburban satire and twisty mystery. It suits a night in with a glass of wine, or a fun group watch. The pace is brisk, the register knowingly arch, and the central friendship between two very different mothers is the emotional core, shifting from bright admiration to sharp rivalry. Violence is present and occasionally startling, including a few bloody deaths, but it is stylised and brief rather than gory, and there is sexual content and adult language throughout. It is for viewers who enjoy dark comedy with a mystery engine, and for anyone drawn to unreliable, flamboyant female leads.
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