I went into this movie knowing nothing at all about it, so perhaps that's one of the reasons I scored it so highly. Sometimes it's great to just watch a movie for the sake of watching it rather then go in expecting something only to be disappointed.

The story is not new, but the way it's delivered is quite good and not what I expected at all.

I have never heard of any of the actors in this piece and given their sometimes wooden acting and sheer (seemingly) lack of talent helps deliver this movie in a fashion I'm certainly not familiar with. I am hoping that the actors were directed in such a fashion as to seem wooden and inexperienced to add to the impact they have on the audience.

There are some rather ridiculous moments of 'special effects' but I'm not going to detract too much from the movie for what seem like 'after thoughts'. There are a couple of bad editing points, I can't fathom why they needed two Toyota Camry's, but clearly there is more then one and in a couple of scenes there is some annoying lens reflection, but I guess most wont notice anyway. Why do I bring these items up???, well I am of the opinion that this movie was a fluke, however I'm not totally convinced, but it seems to me that if you take an old script use unknown actors, use poor visual effects combined with poor camera work and still have a winning combination it's either a fluke or bloody good direction. I'm not knowledgeable enough on the director nor the actors to offer an 'informed opinion', but let's hope the next movie from Paul Osborne shows me that it was great work from him that pleased me so much about this movie.

Overall I was glued to this movie for the simple fact that the actors had me wondering if they could deliver the goods, they delivered in spades as did the director, as mentioned the script is by no means new, but it has some interesting twists and turns that carry the movie and keep you guessing, to turn a old script into something that is interesting and is not 'too' predictable is an achievement in itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

8/10.

There is an old maxim: "A friend helps you move. A good friend helps you move a body." That's the basis of Favor, a new film from writer/director Paul Osborne (Official Rejection, Ten 'til Noon) that had its world premiere at the 2013 Phoenix Film Festival and won the award for Best Screenplay.

The movie begins as its poster suggests. Successful advertising pitch man Kip Desmond (Blayne Weaver) pays a late-night visit to a childhood friend, unemployed couch slouch Marvin Croat (Patrick Day). The small talk is awkward. Kip obviously has moved up in the world and left Marvin behind. And Marvin is self-conscious about it, repeatedly apologizing that he can only offer Kip beer, not scotch.

Kip finally gets to the point: He's been carrying on an extramarital fling with a waitress named Abby (Rosalie Ward). Following sex in a motel room earlier in the evening, he says, she started pressing him for some commitment. During the ensuing argument, he pushed her; her head slammed into a nightstand; and she was dead on the floor. Now he's asking his old buddy Marvin – who always was down for anything – to help him dispose of her body.

Kip drives Marvin to the motel and shows him the body, then they return to Marvin's house for materials. Marvin says he has a good idea of what needs to be done and tells Kip to go home to his wife because it would be suspicious if he were gone all night. Marvin assures Kip he'll clean up the mess.

The first half of the film is somewhat predictable. In the morning light, we see Marvin holding a shovel and staring at a newly filled grave in the desert. A little later, Kip is at home with his wife, Claire (Cheryl Nichols),lying about how busy he is with work and promising to make it up to her. But that's not why he promises to make her breakfast while she showers. He does that because he's glanced out the window, seen Marvin sitting out on the curb and needs her to go a away for a few minutes.

Marvin is acting oddly, expressing concern about who will feed the dead woman's cat. Kip just wants him to go away.

And therein lies the essence of Kip.

He used Abby, who was beneath him in more ways than one, then is concerned only with disposing of her – literally.

Now he wants Marvin to go away, telling him they need to lie low and that he'll be in touch in a few days.

Marvin agrees, but keeps showing up: at Kip's home; at Kip's office; at Kip's favorite diner. Marvin may be a schlub, but he isn't a fool. He's noticed Kip's lack of empathy for the cat, not to mention for Abby. Kip's only regret is that the incident briefly threatened his executive lifestyle.

When Friends Grow Apart

Marvin creates an escalating series of dilemmas in which Kip must choose between a lifestyle that has no place for Marvin and appeasing Marvin to protect that lifestyle. I could see this coming because of the movie's basic premise, but at some point the plot veers off the tracks in a dark but powerful way. It strips Kip to the bone, asking him – and by extension the audience – what we value most and what we're willing to sacrifice to protect that.

During the post-premiere Q&A, Osborne said one of his inspirations for Favor was the rise of Facebook. The social media platform has led users to retain, or even renew, relationships that previously would have died on the vine.

Most of us have that one friend from our past who's never really moved on. We maintain the friendship out of loyalty or nostalgia, even though we no longer have anything in common with the person. We can live with the occasional online update. But what if we found that person sitting on the curb in front of our home?

Day does an amazing job of making Marvin relatable even as he grows into a monster, kind of like the plant – "Feed me, Seymour!" – in Little Shop of Horrors. Day is director of the Young Actors Space, a school in Los Angeles for child and teen performers. During the Q&A, he said his biggest challenge in playing Marvin was figuring out how to make the audience like Marvin, at least on some level. Early in Favor, Marvin appears pleased that Kip needs him for something – anything. That gives credibility to the subsequent rage when he realizes just how little Kip values him.

Weaver does an nice job as Kip but had less of a challenge than Day. A major point of the film, after all, was the discovery of just how shallow Kip is. For most of the film, he seemed to channel a young, pre-drugs Jeff Conaway (Grease, Taxi, Babylon 5). In the final scene, however, he offers a piercing image of Kip as a man utterly devoid of conscience.

Favor may focus on a relationship between strong male characters, but a couple of actresses deliver spot-on performances. Nichols and Christina Rose – as Kip's wife and office assistant, respectively – are strong women puzzled by Marvin's sudden ubiquity, and even more so by Kip's inexplicable indulgence of it. Their portrayals of annoyance and confusion escalate along with Marvin's intrusiveness. In a metaphorical sense, of course, they reinforce social chasm that has formed between the childhood friends. The women are attainable for Kip, but out of Marvin's league.

###

Stuart J. Robinson practices writing, editing, media relations and social media through his business, Phoenix-based Lightbulb Communications.

"Favor" is a rather low-budget film by filmmakers with rather limited experience. The writer/director, Paul Osborne, for instance has only a few credits to his name and the two stars have a decent number of credits—but not as leading men. Yet, interestingly, despite its cheapness, the film doesn't look cheap and is an unusual and exciting little thriller. Also, the actors didn't look like actors and this makes the film seem much more realistic than a film with big-name Hollywood stars. I like films like this, as it feels like you are discovering something yet to be discovered by everyone else.

When the film begins, it dives right into the plot. Kip (Blayne Weaver) is upset and desperate when he shows up at his childhood friend's home. Marvin (Patrick Day) says he is more than glad to help and offers to do anything to help. Perhaps he spoke too soon, as Kip informs him that his mistress has just slipped and fell and died in a nearby motel room— and he wants Marvin to hide the body! After all, Kip reasons, he doesn't want to lose his wife or have it hurt his career! Marvin tells Kip not to worry and takes care of the 'problem'. Not surprisingly, this is NOT the end of the problem—otherwise it would only be a 15 minute movie! Serious complications arise and the apparent moral of the film is that if you want something right, you ought to do it yourself!

Soon, Marvin begins stopping by Kip's house and job all sorts of hours— often to chat or talk about the burial. This is bad enough, but soon Marvin begins asking Kip for all sorts of favors. First, he wants Kip to get him a date—but Marvin is out of work and rather boorish, so this is not small task! And, when this doesn't work out, Marvin feels that Kip has let him down and is angry! Second, Kip needs an assistant at work and Marvin INSISTS that Kip should hire him—even though he's grossly under-qualified and gets Kip in hot water with his boss for hiring such an incompetent. Third, Marvin asks Kip for a loan of $5000! The favors Marvin keeps asking seem to have no end and when Kip has finally had enough, Marvin becomes angry—very, very, very angry. And, when this moment occurs, the film starts to get very strange and very violent. Where all this goes is something to see, as there are some very interesting twists and turns—and they are sure to leave you guessing.

This is a very exciting thriller and is worth seeing. It isn't perfect, as there are a few amazingly brutal and disturbing scenes which I think could have been handled a bit less violently (yes, I am a bit squeamish and didn't need to see such realistic murders). Also, when you really think about what's happening, it really seems far-fetched. Yet, it's constructed so well that you'll probably find yourself like me—willing to suspend disbelief and able to buy into the story. Well done and I hope to see more from these folks.

By the way, I noticed one reviewer complained about fake reviews. This IS a serious problem and I've noticed several bad films with suspiciously glowing reviews (by reviewers with no other reviews to their credit). However, "Favor" is a very good film, so I am inclined to believe the other reviews.