Super mom and vlogger, played by Anna Kendrick, befriends an irresistable mom, Blake Lively, and uncovers a mystery that just keeps getting more and more interesting.

Year 2018

Director  Paul Feig

Stars  Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding

This movie really caught me off guard. I thought, “it’s rated pretty fresh on the Tomatometer, so why not”. These kinds of movies aren’t my typical cup of tea, but it looks like it could be good. Boy, was I under estimating it. What a movie! It packed a pizzazz from the beginning to end. You also could not truly guess what was going to happen from scene to scene, very unpredictable and fun. I haven’t seen a smart, dark, funny, thrilling dramady in a while.

First best element: the writing. I really think the screenplay is very important. What the actors are saying makes a difference to the feel and emotion you have about their characters. A Simple Favor’s screenplay was written by the same author who wrote the book. It couldn’t have been done better and that is probably why. The author knows what originally worked in the book and puts it to life on film.

Second best element: the acting. I know I’ve felt it before, maybe with multiple movies, but Anna Kendrick is the best. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but without her in this role I don’t think it would have been as good. She really sells this character 100%. I’m not as familiar with Blake Lively, but she has the chops.

In summary, you will have fun seeing this. It has a stylish flare with music and cut away scenes that deliver an attention-grabbing watch. The laughs I had where real and not forced. The transitions where smooth, but also quick and smart, which tells me that the editing team deserves extra cookies. If you enjoyed Devil Wears Prada or the now-classic Mean Girls, this is right up your alley.