A SIMPLE FAVOR
US, 2018, 117 minutes, Colour.
Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Dustin Milligan, Andrew Rannels, Ian Ho, Joshua Satine.
Directed by Paul Feig.
What could be more simple than one mother asking another mother to help her out by picking the children up after school? Needless to say, this film shows a range of complications that nobody could have quite anticipated. And, of course, that is part of the enjoyment.
Women come out quite well from this story – even a strong female villain. The men are also-rans…
One thought that arises is that this is the kind of story that could have been made in the Golden Years of Hollywood (though the language would have been extensively cleaned up). Anna Kendrick has shown herself quite a talent in serious roles but also very good in comic timing. She is a kind of 21st-century Nancy Drew, popular in those past Hollywood years. Blake Lively is a rather statuesque blonde with a commanding presence, the epitome of self-confidence and glamour. As it turns out, it is the kind of role that might have appealed to Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck.
But, a 21st-century audience may not be thinking of these things and just go along with the way this interaction between the two women develops.
Yes, they are mothers and there are the questions of picking up the two little boys, great friends, from school as well as Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), single-mother (though, as with the whole screenplay, there are hidden secrets that do surprise) ultra-busy about doing things for the school, helping everyone out (to the sarcastic responses of so many of the other parents), even with her own Vlog (video-blog for those unfamiliar) for mothers where she cooks her specialities for viewers or does some handiwork.
Emily (Blake Lively) is a businesswoman, in PR, the epitome of glamour, rather hard in her demeanour yet befriending Stephanie. She has a trophy husband, Sean, an author who has only one novel, years ago, to his name. He is played by Henry Golding at the same time as he starred as a Crazy Rich Asian.
For those who have seen the trailer and the advertising, it is clear that Emily disappears leaving Stephanie with the children, falling in love with Sean, being interrogated by the police.
Actually, what has happened is exceedingly complex, audience curiosity on the increase, some developments that might have been guessed other developments beyond guessing.
Stephanie learns a lot about herself in the situation, acknowledging her past, discovering that she could fall in love, always devoted to the children, but determined to find out what actually happened, becoming an effective amateur sleuth.
In fact, with her Vlog, she is able to address all the mothers, speaking to camera (which she has effectively used in her sleuthing) to explain to the mothers that she will carry on with the cooking and her favourite recipes, carry on with her handiwork, but is available to do detective work for solving mysteries.
1. The title? Simple in itself? The consequences?
2. Middle America, the town, homes and mansions, school, offices? The scenes in Michigan, the lake in the countryside? The flashbacks to the past in the countryside and the old homes? The musical score?
3. The strong leading women, commanding and glamorous compared with ordinary with a touch of fluffiness? Yet women with deep secrets, their communicating to each other, the impact of the revelations – and audience response to the two women?
4. Stephanie’s story? Her upbringing, her half-brother and the attraction, the telling the story to Emily but not telling the truth, the gradual revelation of the truth? Her marriage? Her son and the initial paternity? Her husband’s anger with the half-brother? His taking him for a drive, deliberately crashing the car? Their deaths and the effect on Emily? Single mother raising her son?
5. Stephanie and her kindness, doing everything at the school, all the volunteering? The snide remarks of the other parents? The importance of her frog, addressing the mums, folksy, the cooking of the recipes, the handiwork? The range of the programmes, confiding about Emily, Emily’s disappearance and using the blog for communication, therapy –
and Emily watching it?
6. The encounter with Emily, the contrast in personality, tall, blonde, self-confident, commanding and demanding, not wanting to be Stephanie’s friend, their meeting, having drinks, mixing the drinks, the friendship and confiding in each other, the secrets? Emily and her work with the company, criticisms of the boss, challenging him? Asking Stephanie
for the favour of looking after her son? The disappearance? The company thinking she went to Miami?
7. Emily’s house, the mansion, comfortable, financial difficulties with her husband, Sean and his novels, not being able to write, writer’s block, his work and travels, his mother’s illness in London? The tension in the relationship?
8. The police, Sean and Stephanie and the visits, the officer and his insinuating, asking questions?
9. The children, staying at each of the homes, relating well to Stephanie, a mother figure? Sean and his reaction to the children?
10. Stephanie and the attraction to Sean, his manner, style, talking, the sexual relationship and the consequences? Stephanie going to the University, seeing him with a student, the later visit the student coming to the room? Her suspicions?
11. Emily and her story, gradual revelation about faith, the picture under the desk, Stephanie’s enquiries? Stephanie visiting Emily’s parents, the father misunderstanding the visit, seemingly threatening but not, the mother and her drinking, telling the story?
12. The revelation of the large amount of life insurance? Emily and her scheming, meticulous planning, insinuating that Sean was privy to the plan?
13. Stephanie confronting Emily, Emily and her visits, the messages through her son? Emily watching the blog? The explanations about faith and Hope, the revelation about charity and her death? The two sisters going their own ways, Faith becoming Emily and her financial success, manipulation? Hope, heroine, a different path? The encounter, after the years, in the Lake, faith killing Hope, initially denying it?
14. Emily confronting Sean, taping the conversation, Sean’s rejection of Stephanie?
15. The buildup to the confrontation after the talks with the police? Stephanie becoming her own woman, doing the detecting work herself? The buildup to the encounter with Emily, with Sean present, the denunciations, Stephanie with the gun, Sean shot? Faith and her reactions – and then irony that the only was she being taped but photographed with Stephanie’s blog camera?
16. Emily in prison, dominating basketball? Sean and his job, the new relationship?
17. Stephanie, her blog, confiding in the audience, the recipes, the handiwork – and offering to do detective work?
