A Simple Favor - 失蹤網紅

A Simple Favor (失蹤網紅) is an 2018 film. The movie stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding. The movie was filmed after Golding's turn as Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians. And it was released about a month after that.

Kendrick plays Stephanie Smothers, a widowed single mother that runs an online vlog. While she's picking up her son one day, she befriends Emily Nelson, played by Blake Lively, whom also has a son in the same class as Stephanie's son. The two sons have play dates and Stephanie starts to get closer to Emily. Many more play dates later, Emily ask Stephanie a simple favor of watching her son for the afternoon. However, this time, she doesn't come back. Stephanie doesn't give up and helps Emily's husband Sean Townsend, played by Henry Golding, in their search for her. No body is found so the mystery deepens. Will they find Emily, can Stephanie resist Sean?

This was actually a pretty fun watch. I rented it mainly because of Golding, but it was definitely a Kendrick film, accounting for over 75% of the acting. Kendrick plays an timid single do gooder mother at the beginning of the film, but transforms into something more like Emily by the end of the film. Although a bit unbelievable, it was really fun to watch the metamorphosis. Whenever the children were involved, that's when the movie dragged because it didn't forward the story along and made the movie more grounded and real. The movie excelled at making a really absurd situation fun with Kendrick, Golding, and Lively.

I got this film via T-Mobile Tuesday Redbox promo.

Daddy's Home 2 - 家有兩個爸X2

Daddy's Home 2 (家有兩個爸X2) is an 2017 film. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. The supporting cast include Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, and John Cena. For the sequel, they added Alessandra Ambrosio, John Lithgow and Mel Gibson to the supporting cast.

This Christmas, the grandfathers get involved in the picture. Brad's dad, Don, played by John Lithgow, and Dusty's dad, Kurt, played by Mel Gibson. Instead of a calm Christmas in the suburbs, they decide to get a big house in the snowy mountains. Dusty and his dad do not get along. Brad and his dad get along too well. With this in mind, the two merging families go at it in their own way. But wait, to Dusty's dismay, his wife's ex-husband, Roger, played by John Cena, also joins the fray. What a Christmas! Will they survive it all?

The second time around, with the addition of Mel, Johh x2 and Alessandra made the movie a bit interesting. The hijinx still still primarily with Will and Mark, but the supporting cast make their lives a lot harder to live. I was laughing at many parts, but was not as much as the first one. Maybe I kind of knew what was on the horizon. But it was a funny movie and I like Will Ferrell movies. This one worked for me.

Daddy's Home - 家有兩個爸

Daddy's Home (家有兩個爸) is an 2015 film. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. The supporting cast include Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, and John Cena. The movie was a Christmas hit as counter programing to the massive Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Will Ferrell plays Brad, who has marriage Sara, whom brings to the marriage, a son and daughter. Brad cannot have his own biological kids, but longs for kids in his life. Brad devotes himself to be the best father he knows how to be. BUT his step kids are still not accepting. One Christmas, they biological father and Sara's ex-husband decides he's going to visit. Enter Dusty Mayron, played by Mark Wahlberg. Brad and Dusty couldn't be more opposite of each other. With their "real" dad back, the two kids start to take to him and Brad starts to fell left out. How will this story end?

I laughed a lot in this movie. Sometimes to point of crying. But on the second watch, I did not. So, the jokes only work once if you're not expecting them. The trailer does leave quite a bit of stuff out. A modern comedy with modern fatherhood dilemmas presented.