Another Simple Favor Review: Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick Sequel Tries To Be Clever, But Only Gets More Complicated!
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively's Another Simple Favor is a sequel which twists itself into exhaustion.
2 / 5
When the sequel to the 2018 movie A Simple Favor, the black comedy and mystery starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, was announced, a question arose in everyone’s mind: Is there really a need for one? And the answer to that question is well…maybe not. A Simple Favor is what many dubbed to be a TV version of Gone Girl, with jokes stacked in between to remind you that it’s not all that serious. Another Simple Favor is releasing on May 1 and has been produced and directed by Paul Feig. It stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Allison Janney, Michele Morrone, and Elizabeth Perkins takes it all up a notch and presents a plot that becomes needlessly complicated.
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The Plot of Another Simple Favor
The sequel picks up right where the first movie left off. Following Stephanie Smothers’ (Anna Kendrick) viral altercation with Emily Nelson (Blake Lively), where Emily attempted to shoot her on a livestream. Stephanie is now a true crime blogger-turned-author who collaborates with the FBI to catch local criminals, including the likes of the ‘Speedo Pedo,’ a gym teacher accused of inappropriate conduct with students. The film opens at a book signing for Stephanie’s newest book – The Faceless Blonde, a tell-all about her experience with Emily, who is now serving time in prison. Right on cue, Emily crashes the event, which is a surprise that’s easy to see coming. She threatens Stephanie with a lawsuit unless she agrees to be her maid of honour. Cue a private jet, an extravagant wedding in Capri, Italy, and a smouldering mobster fiancé who seems to be concealing as many secrets as his charm. The sequel delves more into Emily’s backstory as we meet her forlorn mother Margaret and ever so conniving aunt Linda. In true A Simple Favor tradition, a murder or two are committed, characters are revealed to be not who they are pretending to be, and as you watch on, you start to realise that maybe crazy does run in the family.
Performances
One of the standout elements of the film is the undeniable chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, which continues to be a major reason the original became a fan favourite, and thankfully, that spark remains intact.
Anna Kendrick as Stephanie Smothers: Anna Kendrick’s delightfully awkward performance as Stephanie helps carry the film through its weaker stretches. The actress plays the role of the chirpy but paranoid mom and effortlessly manages the genre shift from comedy to thriller.
Blake Lively as Emily Nelson: Blake Lively, though still magnetic, occasionally falls short of delivering the nonchalant allure needed for Emily’s femme fatale persona, giving a performance that feels a bit strained at times. Her acting at times borders on being caricaturistic, especially in the latter half.
Supporting Cast
Allison Janney plays the dramatic role of over-the-top Aunt Linda. Meanwhile, 365 Days star Michele Morrone steps into yet another brooding mafia boss role- one he should have mastered by now, but his performance unfortunately lacks the charisma and depth to make it memorable.
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Verdict: A Sleazy, Chaotic Sequel With Lost Potential
Another Simple Favor is a film that overstays its welcome, especially in a second half so absurd, it practically dares you to turn your brain off. However, not all is bad; the film still has its moments, especially when it leans into the witty, playful banter between the leads. There are callbacks to the first film that might amuse fans, and a few genuinely funny moments that could earn a chuckle or two. But ultimately, what steals the show is the cinematography enhanced by the stunning Capri backdrop and glamorous styling, with the characters dressed to impress in every scene. Paul Feign does a good job in setting the comedic tone of the film with his direction however, it’s the transition to the noir mystery parts where the movie falters.
The plot twists come at you relentlessly, but instead of packing a punch, they pile up to the point of being nonsensical. The film aims for shock value, but after a while, it just becomes noise. There’s a mafia rivalry, a forbidden love affair, a not-so-dead twin, and even an incest subplot that adds nothing to the plot of the film. Blake Lively described the film in a press interview as “bonkers,” and she wasn’t wrong, just not in the fun, cheeky way the original managed to be. Instead, it’s a flashier but far more shallow attempt at the comic mystery-thriller with ominous vibes that made the first a hit.
The film will be available to stream on Prime Video starting 1 May 2025 in English with dubs in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
First Published: May 01, 2025 1:29 PM
