Subtly acted, with Aridjis showing remarkable trust in her performers, The Favor is that rare film that at every turn exhibits good taste and a sense of restraint.
70
Film Threat
Film Threat
Overall, the film is alternately sweet and sad, amusing and moving.
60
VarietyJustin Chang
VarietyJustin Chang
A pair of beautifully mismatched lead performances elevate a predictable drama to unexpected resonance in The Favor.
50
L.A. Weekly
L.A. Weekly
The Favor ultimately takes itself too seriously and ends up stranded in an unconvincing no man's land of cute bleakness.
50
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
The movie is too lethargic for its own good, and many of the events and minor characters don't quite ring true.
30
Village Voice
Village Voice
As an unconscious parody of everything that's wrong with Indiewood, Eva Aridjis's The Favor is brilliant. Otherwise, it's an unwatchable nightmare that brought back bad memories of NYU screenwriting classes.
A dreary, interminable drama written and directed by Eva Aridjis, is exactly one-third of a good movie. That third is Frank Wood's beautifully modulated and modest central performance.