(Andrew Rannells laps up his screen time in a small supporting role as a judgmental dad.)
More than anything, the film benefits from pitch-perfect casting.
Lively gives full Hitchcock blonde with glee, a flawless foil to the manic nature of Kendricks Stephanie.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in ‘A Simple Favor’.Credit: Peter Iovino/Lionsgate
Lively delivers on all fronts, a knockout in the intimidating, exquisitely tailored clothes she sports like armor.
Its a pleasure to see him so readily divert his easy appeal into something more duplicitous.
Knockout cast aside, the script is slightly too winding for its own good.
An abundance of red herrings lessens the impact of the truth when its finally revealed.
Stephanie and Emily are given shadowy pasts that never render into anything satisfying.
