Category: A Simple Favor

Blake Lively as Emily

A SIMPLE FAVOR

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Emily (Blake Lively) is the one who asks for a simple favor, and later, looks great in that orange prison jumpsuit, after she asks for it.

“A Simple Favor” is a smart, surprising, enjoyable, thought provoking, funny, and sexually intriguing mystery film.

There are lots of winning characters that each film-goer may identify with: the gay male mom (Andrew Rannells), the single mom (Anna Kendrick) , the super mom (Anna Kendrick), the career mom (Blake Lively) , the gay fashion CEO (Rupert Friend) , the good natured, warm hearted, insightful Black investigator (Bashir Salahuddin), the foreign national trophy husband (Henry Golding), the guilt ridden widow (Anna Kendrick), and last, but not least, the dynamics of being a twin (spoiler alert).

The music is another character. Composer Theodore Shapiro has great taste. I thoroughly enjoyed the French music. I was not aware that Brigitte Bardot could sing, but we are treated to several of her songs in French. That alone is reason enough to see this film over and over.

One of the important questions asked is how does ones background and ones parents affect who we become as adults? How much freedom should we give children? How can parents guide their children through ego/anger/grief issues?

And, who do we choose to marry and why? Both the wife (Blake Lively) and the girlfriend Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) are jealous of the relationship that Sean (Henry Golding) has with Beth (Melissa O’Neil) his teacher assistant, who appears to have his real affection, respect and partnership.

The husband, Sean (Henry Golding) has to deal with his demons of sex and greed. His marriage to Emily (Blake Lively) is way beyond his means as a struggling writer and professor, but full of fodder for his novels.

Henry Golding is also strong in his role as the “Crazy Rich Asian.”

I have seen this film twice, and enjoyed it even more the second time. I’ll be purchasing the DVD and the sound track for “A Simple Favor.”