The Most Watched Movie on Netflix Is a Streamy Thriller With a Shocking Twist
Director Paul Feig is known for his comedic eye, creating Freaks and Geeks and directing films such as Bridesmaids, Spy, and the 2016 Ghostbusters. But he also has a darker side, which he tapped right into with his 2018 film A Simple Favor, a sumptuous thriller full of female longing and Blake Lively in power suits. A carefully curated aesthetic paired with a twisty story has earned the film the number one spot on the Netflix chart, with audiences still captivated by Lively, Anna Kendrick, and a mystery with a shocking ending.
In A Simple Favor:
Thirsty for thrills, single mom Stephanie strikes up a friendship with the glamorous Emily, who asks for a small favor before she mysteriously vanishes.
While the trailer emphasizes the charged eroticism between Lively and Kendrick, this isn’t necessarily a queer erotic thriller. Yes, Lively’s Emily comes out as bisexual and wears the hell out of a pantsuit. But those long gazes between women speak more about Kendrick’s Stephanie and her obsession with the glamorous woman.
A Simple Favor is based on the novel of the same name by Darcey Bell. This was Bell’s first novel, released in 2017, and it earned comparisons to other prominent contemporary crime thrillers such as The Girl On The Train and Gone Girl.
Henry Golding, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart, and Dustin Milligan also star in the film. When it was initially released, the film was met with positive reactions from critics and audiences alike. It went on to earn $97.6 million at the box office during its theatrical run.
That love was enough to get the film a sequel, A Simple Favor 2, which was announced in 2022. Lively and Kendrick are both reprising their respective roles in a film that, according to People, features the “return of Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.” Just today, Feig shared news of the film wrapping in Italy next Tuesday.
With the film just hitting Netflix this week, people are re-discovering this campy thriller-comedy. Check out some reactions below:
A Simple Favor is streaming now on Netflix.
What do you think of this Paul Feig thriller? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram @DreadCentral.
Categorized:News
