A Simple Favor
★★★★
What a delightfully twisted tale this movie was. Ever since his Freaks & Geeks days, I have been a fan of Paul Feig. Because of such films as Bridesmaids and The Heat, I used to follow his movies pretty closely. But after the disappointment of other films like Ghostbusters and Spy, it took me a while to talk myself into watching this one. I can't quite say he's back to his genius self because I heard Last Christmas was horrible, but I loved this dark comic tale that provides commentary on technology, parenthood and relationships. As I get older, you find that it gets harder and harder to make genuine friends and I think this movie taps into that psyche. In college you quickly become fast friends with somebody just because they lived on the same floor as you. But in today's world, it might take years to develop a similar friendship with a parent whose child is in the same class as your own. Do they have diabolical schemes like the characters in this film? I sure hope not, but this movie shows that in today's world, it gets harder and harder to reveal your true self. This may be favorite Anna Kendrick performance and Blake Lively is cast perfectly in her role. A Simple Favor never takes itself too seriously which is very important. It goes into some dark territories, but handles it all with a sense of humor and delight that makes you ease into a very entertaining viewing experience.
