A Simple Favor
Oh my! This is a romp through suburbia we did not see coming. It quickly becomes a dark mystery thriller set in a small Connecticut town where everyone knows each other. It’s based on the 2017 novel by the same title authored by Darcy Bell.
It’s not perfect. Some of the antics are a bit corny, borderline slapstick. Other scenes reveal way more than we were expecting but overall its clever, intriguing and unique.
The acting makes it work. Blake Lively is the sexy wife who befriends Anna Kendrick as the single Mom. Henry Golding is Blake’s husband. Youngsters Ian Ho and Joshua Satine play the children. Another 60 plus actors play bit parts to round out the cast.
It’s rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nude images, drug use and violence. We do not think it is appropriate for children. It’s listed as a Mystery & Suspense running 116 minutes.
Rating 
White Boy Rick
Once again, some true stories are better than fiction. Fresh from the Toronto Film Festival, it’s set in Detroit in the 1980s when crack and drug wars were everyday events. Rick Wershe Jr. was a street hustler, FBI Informant, and Drug Kingpin as a teenager. We won’t say anymore because there is a stunning ending.
The cast is impressive. Matthew McConaughey plays the dad. Richie Merritt plays the son. There are scores of other actors, most notably are bit parts by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eddie Marsan, Bel Powley, Piper Laurie and Bruce Dern.
It’s not easy to watch. There is conflict, violence, criminal activity, undercover operations, family conflict, and drug use. It is rated R. It is absolutely not appropriate for children.
It is listed as a drama/mystery. The run time is 1 hour, 56 minutes (it felt longer!).
Rating
Kusama: Infinity
This is a fascinating Documentary film about the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, now the top selling female artist in the world. It covers her entire creative life from childhood to today.
She left Japan and settled in New York City in the 1960’s. Her art challenged all conventional standards for decades and she ultimately became a world renowned artist. She has spent the last 30 years living in a mental institution in Japan.
The film is not rated and parents should be cautioned there are clips of nudity, drug use and news clips from the 60’s and 70’s that may not be suitable for children. The run time is 85 minutes. English and Japanese with English subtitles.
Rating 