There’s nothing quite like being gripped by a good mystery. It can keep us on the edge of our seats in the cinema or drive us to binge entire seasons of a TV show in a single evening. We’re lucky to have a lot of female led media in this particular genre.
A Simple Favour follows the disappearance of Emily Nelson (played by Blake Lively), while her best friend, mummy-vlogger Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) trying to figure out what happened to her. In celebration of the film’s release on 20th September, we’re taking a look at some of the most gripping mysteries ever to grace the big -or small- screen.
1. Big Little Lies
With a star-studded ensemble cast including the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern and Zoë Kravitz, Big Little Lies follows the stories of five different women – but it’s also the story of a murder. The thing is – we don’t know who it is that dies, let alone who did it. It’s an intense and deeply emotional murder mystery drama which, fortunately, will return for a second season – with the addition of Queen of Everything, Meryl Streep.
2. Sharp Objects
From the author of Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn, this HBO adaptation stars Amy Adams in a career defining role. Camille Preaker is a journalist sent back to her isolated hometown to report on the murder of a girl and the disappearance of another. The unfolding of events from this premise is one of the most masterful of recent television, with Adams cementing her status as an absolute powerhouse performer.
3. Black Swan
Black Swan is a dark, engrossing thriller which follows a ballerina (Natalie Portman) as she appears to slowly lose her mind – the mystery being, has Portman’s character truly gone mad or is there some foul play going on after all? The featured was nominated for a series of Academy Awards, with Portman winning the prestigious Best Actress gong as well a slew of other nominations and wins for her gripping portrayal.
4. The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train sees Emily Blunt play a recently-divorced alcoholic, who takes comfort in aimlessly travelling on train to New York in order to drink- and watch her ex-husband and his new wife through the train window, as well as their neighbours.
One day she witnesses the neighbour Megan kissing someone who is not her significant other. Enraged by this observation she goes to confront her. She then wakes up to find herself covered in blood – with Megan missing. For the rest of the film, we’re taken on a wild ride to try and work out what really happened – could Emily Blunt’s character be to blame?
5. A Simple Favour
A Simple Favour follows Stephanie, a mummy blogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily’s husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.
A Simple Favour hits UK cinemas today, 20th September 2018, distributed by Lionsgate UK.