Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson reunite on the island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman, which is interrupted by murder and betrayal.
Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is trying to sell her book about the events of “A Simple Favor.” She is unexpectedly greeted by a free Emily (Blake Lively) who wants her to go to Capri, Italy, and be the maid of honor at her wedding. Stephanie reluctantly accepts so she can figure out what Emily is up to.
I watched the cult hit “A Simple Favor” before checking out its sequel. And though the first film didn’t resonate with me then, I can see why it got its cult status thanks to the chemistry between Kendrick and Lively. “Another Simple Favor,” released seven years later, follows the same story beats of the first film, but in Italy this time.
It’s entertaining to watch Kendrick and Lively reunite and snipe back and forth at each other. They are a fun duo, and their characters really work as frenemies. But as the movie continued to twist and turn, I could not suspend my disbelief anymore at the plot contrivances. That is my biggest grievance with this film.
I enjoyed the Italian setting of the film, and I’m jealous this cast got to hang out in Italy for a few months. I also like seeing what unique and/or outrageous outfits Lively would wear on screen. Henry Golding, who plays Emily’s bitter and alcoholic ex-husband, Sean, was unexpectedly a highlight of this film for me. He garnered the most laughs, but is not in the movie as much as I’d like.
New characters are introduced, as is the case in many sequels. Joining the cast are Allison Janney as Aunt Linda and Alex Newell as Stephanie’s publicist, Vicky. Elizabeth Perkins also takes over here for Jean Smart as Emily’s mother. Janney is a pro, but this role is pretty one-note. I also don’t see why Alex Newell’s character even came along to Capri. She didn’t contribute anything to the plot in Italy. And I’m sure Jean Smart wasn’t available, but I don’t think that Perkins portrayed the same crazy as Smart did in the first film. I think Smart’s neurosis was a bit more grounded.
After a rewatch of the first film, I highly suspected what the ‘big’ twist would be, and it just so happened to be what I expected, so that was a bit disappointing. But the film ends on a note that opens up to further sequels – something my audience at least seemed interested in, though I cannot really say the same.
Honestly, I found “Another Simple Favor” to be a lesser version of the first film. It’s hard for sequels to stand alone or outdo the original. I’m glad director Paul Feig got the gang back together, but I haven’t been a big fan of his films since 2015’s “Spy.”
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