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A Simple Favor is a dark comedy mystery thriller film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Jessica Sharzer. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, the 2018 film follows Stephanie Smothers, a young widowed single mother who runs a vlog, but when her new friend, Emily Nelson, suddenly vanishes, she tries to find her. A Simple Favor stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Dustin Milligan, Jean Smart, Rupert Friend, and Eric Johnson. So, if you loved the dark comedy, thrilling mystery, and compelling characters in A Simple Favor, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a dark comedy mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson. The 2022 sequel film follows master detective Benoit Blanc,...

"Joker: Folie a Deux" may have just proven that even big-budget movies won't always top the box office when they have terrible reviews and little love from fans, but apparently the streaming world is still operating on a different level. For nearly three weeks now, the Shailene Woodley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt led film "Killer Heat" has been topping the Amazon Prime movies chart (per FlixPatrol), despite earning an abysmal 15% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.

It may just be a sparse season for new releases on Prime Video, but given that one of the year's best films, Luca Guadagnino's sexy tennis drama "Challengers," is currently at number six on the most-streamed Prime Video films list, something about "Killer Heat" is clearly appealing to subscribers. The movie, which bypassed theaters and was released directly to Prime, tops a list that as of publication time also includes several kids' films, including John Krasinski's 2024 release "If,...

Prime Video’s “Killer Heat” is a new mystery thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Nick Bali, a private investigator. It shows Nick traveling to Greece to investigate the shocking death of a wealthy man named Leo Vardakis. Nick is hired by Penelope, Leo’s identical twin brother’s wife. The film takes place entirely on a scenic island and relies on the moodiness of the setting as it unravels new bits of information. It seems heavily inspired by the Hollywood noir classics that redefined the genre conventions decades ago. Fans of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and movies like “Killer Heat,” featuring slow-burn mysteries, can check out this thriller on Prime Video.

This 2024 film is based on Jo Nesbø’s short story – “The Jealousy Man.” The film is directed by Philippe Lacôte, known for directing “Night of the Kings,” a critically acclaimed fantasy drama. Besides Gordon-Levit, the film also stars Shailene Woodley and...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt dons a Panama hat and swills booze as a classic gumshoe investigating a murder mystery in sun-soaked Greece. Killer Heat, adapted from a short story by famed Norwegian author Jo Nesb, is chock-full of what you'd expect from an old-school detective story. There's the requisite gorgeous "dame" with shady motives, her powerful husband, a controlling matriarch, and more twists than a bag of pretzels. The cheese factor runs a tad high, and the big reveal can be seen from a mile away, but the film keeps your interest with a likable lead and its pulpy delivery.

Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden) carefully places his chalked hands in a crevice as he scales a steep cliff without ropes. Sweat pours down his face as his chiseled body advances upward. A voice-over from protagonist Nick Bali (Gordon-Levitt) begins with a warning about the ancient myth of Icarus. He flew too close...

Killer Heat beautifully unravels a murder mystery in a timeless, lovely film with a brilliant twist. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars opposite Shailene Woodley in this captivating film which sees a family fall apart while evoking a feel of a noir crime drama. Gordon-Levitt is excellent as the private investigator/narrator of the story, and as the mystery comes undone, the clever narrative shines brightly.

Killer Heat (2024)

Director Philippe LacteRelease Date September 26, 2024Writers Roberto BentivegnaCast Argyris Gaganis, Manos Gavras, Clare Holman, Babou Ceesay, Shailene Woodley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Richard MaddenCharacter(s) Audrey Vardakis, George Mensah, Yiannis Dimitriou, Penelope Vardakis, Nick Bali, LeonidesRating RGenres Romance, Crime

Nick Bali, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a washed-up Pi known as The Jealousy Man. When he is hired to investigate the death of a wealthy and influential figure on a remote Greek island, it becomes apparent that his family runs the island, and the community likes to...

Crime drama Killer Heat is destroying Prime Videos movie chart, while being in return destroyed by both critics and audiences. Based on the Jo Nesb novella The Jealousy Man, the highly anticipated adaptation comes with some strong talent, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Richard Madden, but like so many streaming successes, has been completely crushed when it comes to its reviews.

Directed by Philippe Lacte, Killer Heat finds Madden playing the dual role of twin brothers Elias and Leo, who are caught in a violent love triangle with Penelope Vardakis (Shailene Woodley). When Leo is said to have died in a climbing accident, Penelope enlists troubled detective Nick Bali, known as the Jealousy Man of the novellas title, to discover the truth about the death. Set on a remote Greek island, the movie comes with plenty of Mediterranean sun and picturesque backdrops, but that kind of thing doesnt help a good...

A good tasty noir, like “Love Lies Bleeding,” always feels contemporary, even if set in the past; that’s because it should feel as urgent as the love-and-death stakes it’s about. “Killer Heat,” on the other hand, while not quite so old-fashioned that it creaks, definitely plays like a mirage of detective noirs you’ve seen before. To start with: Could there be a worse title? It makes the movie sound like some straight-to-tape potboiler from the ’80s starring Jim Belushi and Daphne Zuniga. “Killer Heat” opens with the voice of its star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who has a way of sounding like Keanu Reeves’ brainier brother), delivering one of those logy “hardboiled” philosophical nuggets to the audience (“The Icarus myth was set on the island of Crete. And apparently no one there had learned much from his story…”).

But just as you’re ready to nod out, Gordon-Levitt, as...

Just beyond the shores of Crete, a deceptive puzzle awaits unraveling. Director Philippe Lacôte’s sun-drenched noir Killer Heat seems a cheery summer prospect – mystery abounds on an archetypally photogenic Greek isle. But as American expat private eye Nick Bali assumes the case, darkness looms under the warm facade.

Familiar elements dress the setup: A supposed climbing accident proves more suspicious to bereaved sister-in-law Penelope. She privately recruits Nick to peer beneath the surface, suspecting her brother-in-law’s death conceals a sinister hand. Nick delves into the web of a local shipping tycoon’s sprawling dynasty, where fortunes, jealousies, and dangerous undercurrents run deep. All signs point to the tropical paradise hiding more than meets the eye.

Yet for all the genre trimmings, something feels lacking in Killer Heat’s bones. Characters remain strangers, relationships skin-deep. Plot progresses methodically, but scant intrigue arises – a predictable arc unravels foreseeable answers. Solid performances flounder without fertile soil.

Plot: A thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style, Killer Heat follows private eye Nick Bali, an American expat in Greece, hired to investigate the supposed accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis on the island of Crete. The victim’s sister-in-law doesn’t believe the official police report. But what exactly happened to Leo, and why? Despite the sun-drenched beauty of its exotic Mediterranean locale, Nick finds darkness at every turn: where the rich and powerful Vardakis family rule like gods, where jealousies run deep, and anyone could be a suspect.

Review: The hard-boiled detective movie has been a trope since the early days of cinema. The term “noir” has taken on a meaning in modern film that has turned into a cliche itself. If you picture the genre in your mind, you likely conjure up fedoras, femme fatales, cigarettes, cocktails, dastardly villains, and lots of gunfire. The...

Killer Heat’s ending was all about finding why [Spoiler Alert] one of the twin brothers killed the other one. What exactly was the motive, and who convinced them to take such a step? Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a private detective who often talked to himself like Watchmen‘s Rorschach, always knew that Elias (Richard Madden) had something to do with the accidental death of his twin brother, Leonidas (or Leo). It was the reason why he started investigating the Vardakis family as soon as he arrived at the isolated island of Crete. Elias’ wife, Penelope (Shailene Woodley), who met Leo and Elias during their time at Oxford University, knew the secret behind the mysterious murder, but she wanted someone else to expose Leo so that he couldn’t pin the entire blame on her. Yes, it wasn’t Leo who died that day; instead, it was his brother, Elias, the mom’s favorite.

I love movies like Killer Heat, not just the movie Killer Heat. This type of knockoff fiction can be recycled and found in any big-box department store, where people gobble it up for summer reading. The film offers virtually nothing new on the subject.

Even from the clothes, setting, and moments of shadowy cinematography. So, studios do what they do: cast attractive leads and saturate the story with a faux-noir style, which many will mistake for originality.

The film is standard by the numbers, dusting off the playbook and following the step-by-step mystery genre production. I almost think the talented cast signed on for the Greek island location entirely.

Shailene Woodley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Richard Madden in Killer Heat (2024) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios Related A Superman Game Can Still Work Despite the Kryptonian’s Invincibility if Studios Stop Focusing on Gameplay – Explained Prime Video’s Killer Heat Review and...

Eat your heart out and move over Benoit Blanc, because Joseph Gordon-Levitt may be about to become your new favorite sharp-dressed sleuth. Killer Heat releases tomorrow on Prime Video, featuring the two-time Emmy winner as a damaged detective named Nick Bali, better known as the titular "Jealousy Man" based on Jo Nesb's eponymous short story. He's summoned to a private Greek island to investigate the "accidental" death of a shipping magnate and member of the wealthy Vardakis family, though the investigator has suspicions that it may have something to do with a violent love triangle involving the victim and his twin brother. Collider is excited to share an exclusive sneak peek that introduces The Jealousy Man both to audiences and to the prime suspect, played by Citadel star Richard Madden.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley are reuniting for the murder mystery thriller Killer Heat. Gordon-Levitt has proven to be one of the most versatile actors since breaking out as a childhood star with Angels in the Outfield and 3rd Rock from the Sun, having frequently collaborated with Rian Johnson going back to his directorial debut with Brick, while also finding acclaim in the dramedy world with the likes of 50/50 and his own directorial effort, Don Jon. Woodley similarly found acclaim in her teenage years before finding success in the YA genre with The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars and the Divergent franchise.

Gordon-Levitt leads Killer Heat as Nick Bali, a former New York City Police detective-turned-private eye who is hired by Woodley's Penelope Vardakis to investigate the mysterious death of her brother-in-law on a small Greek island. Partnering with a local detective,...

Richard Madden is showing off his ripped physique in the trailer for his new movie!

The 38-year-old Golden Globe-winning actor went shirtless in the trailer for his upcoming action flick Killer Heat, which he stars in alongside Shailene Woodley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the movie’s synopsis: “A thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style, Killer Heat follows private eye Nick Bali (Gordon-Levitt), an American expat in Greece, hired to investigate the supposed accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis (Madden) on the island of Crete. The victim’s sister-in-law (Woodley) doesn’t believe the official police report. But what exactly happened to Leo, and why? Despite the sun-drenched beauty of its exotic Mediterranean locale, Nick finds darkness at every turn: where the rich and powerful Vardakis family rule like gods, where jealousies run deep, and anyone could be a suspect.”

Directed by Phillipe Lacôte,...

One Prime Video project that's flown under the radar but is starting to catch some eyes just released its first major look. The official Prime Video X account unveiled the first trailer for Killer Heat, the romance drama starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, and Abbey Lee. The film follows Nick Bali (Levitt), a detective hired by Penelope Vardakis (Woodley) to look into the murder of her brother-in-law. She believes he was killed by her husband, Elias, but Elias is in the pockets of all the local police and Nick is the only one willing to give the case a fair look. In addition to Levitt, Woodley, and Lee, Killer Heat also stars Richard Madden, Clare Holman, and Babou Ceesay, and the film is slated to release exclusively on Prime Video on September 26.