Danielle Solzman
Starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding, Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor arrives home on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.
Based on the book of the same name, Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor offers a charming fun comedic thriller with a side dish of mystery.
Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) is a vlogger who investigates the disappearance of her best friend, Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). They met because of their children attending the same elementary school in their small Connecticut town. Quickly becoming friends, Stephanie helps Emily’s husband, Sean Townsend (Henry Golding), during this time of crisis.
With a vlog at her hands, Stephanie uses it with the hope of finding Emily. Watching her follower count rise throughout the whole ordeal makes for an interesting subplot. Between the cops and the vlog, authorities are able to track Emily’s location. It’s not over for Stephanie though as she thinks there’s more here than meets the eye. I don’t think it’s really a spoiler to say that we should expect twists and turns.
This is one of those films that is hard to discuss without entering spoiler territory. Anyway, it’s one of the more charming entries of the Gone Girl universe if such universe is considered a thing. If it isn’t, it ought to be. It already follows the blueprint set forth by Gillian Flynn in the aforementioned Gone Girl. Without diving into spoiler territory, Jessica Sharzer’s screenplay is very full of comedic charm.
It’s not your typical Paul Feig film. For one, nowhere to be seen in the film is Feig film veteran Melissa McCarthy. Instead, we have Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in the leading roles. Even if the film is being billed as a thriller, there’s going to be some comedic moments involved. Hell, it was shot as if it were a comedy set in the suburbs! I know that I laughed quite a bit in watching. Maybe we can call it a satirical response to Gone Girl? Regardless, Paul Feig has yet to disappoint and I’ll keep coming back for whatever the Freaks and Geeks creator does.
With brilliant performances from Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding, Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor offers a excellent comedic thriller that adds to the missing woman universe. For more of my review, please click here.
DIGITAL/4K UHD/BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
- 3 Audio Commentaries with Cast and Crew
- Paul Feig
- Director Paul Feig and actors Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Jean Smart, and Bashir Salahuddin
- Director Paul Feig, writer Jessica Sharzer, producer Jessie Henderson, cinematographer John Schwartzman, and costume designer Renée Ehrlich Kalfus
- 8 Featurettes
- Gravestone Martinis
- Suburban Noir: The Visual Style of A Simple Favor
- Dapper Director Diaries with Paul Feig
- Love Triangle
- Style by Paul
- Flash Mob Making of
- Dennis Nylon
- A Simple Playdate
- Gag Reel
- Deleted Scenes
- Flash Mob: Alternate Ending
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
- 3 Audio Commentaries with Cast and Crew
- Paul Feig
- Director Paul Feig and actors Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Jean Smart, and Bashir Salahuddin
- Director Paul Feig, writer Jessica Sharzer, producer Jessie Henderson, cinematographer John Schwartzman, and costume designer Renée Ehrlich Kalfus
- 6 Featurettes
- Gravestone Martinis
- Love Triangle
- Style by Paul
- Flash Mob Making of
- Dennis Nylon
- A Simple Playdate
- Gag Reel
- Deleted Scenes
- Flash Mob: Alternate Ending
DIRECTOR: Paul Feig
SCREENWRITER: Jessica Sharzer
CAST: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart, and Rupert Friend
