On paper, nothing is more up my alley than A Simple Favor. It's directed by Paul Feig, stars Anna Kendrick, and is about mommy blogging. But as recent trailers reveal, it's also about a whole lot of other stuff, and now I can't wrap my head around what exactly to expect come September when this thriller (yes, a Paul Feig thriller) hits theaters.
Let's start with the trailers, which are as vague as they are ominous. Kendrick, who plays Stephanie, stars opposite Blake Lively, who plays Emily. Stephanie's blog readers get curious when Emily goes missing, and try to sus out the situation themselves. Judging from the intense music and detective-movie-style graphics, foul play is afoot — but that doesn't exactly track with the rest of the promotional material.
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For instance, while the trailer takes a film noir approach to introducing us to the movie, these new posters are kind of the opposite:
They're retro and pastel and elegant. But despite being front an center, both women are kept in shadow, a nod to the sinister nature of the movie.
I guess it's just jarring because Kendrick and Feig are not people I associate with darker films, and it seems like maybe the trailers and posters are toying with those expectations. In that way, it's genius. I genuinely don't know what to expect when it comes time to walk into the theater, but all these posters prove is that I have to find out.