Another Simple Favor
Rating – * (3/5)
Cast: Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Michele Morrone, Henry Goulding, Allison Janney & more
Directed by: Paul Feig
You find yourself in Capri, Italy — surrounded by impossibly gorgeous men and women, basking in the glamour of a high-profile wedding. Everything should be perfect — and it is, in terms of arrangements and the jaw-dropping setting. But it’s not the venue that’s unraveling; it’s the people. If this premise already feels deliciously reminiscent of The White Lotus with a twist of murderous mischief, you’re not wrong. Another Simple Favor — the long-awaited sequel to A Simple Favor — revels in that White Lotus-esque chaos, at least for its first intoxicating hour. Whether that comparison lands as a compliment or not, well, that’s for you to interpret.
We pick up exactly where we left off. Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is now grappling with the dwindling success of her second book, which, predictably, is all about Emily (Blake Lively) and the absolute lunacy that exploded in the first installment. Stephanie is still the lovable vlogger we remember, juggling her aspirational life until — surprise! — Emily returns after five scandalous years. Fresh out of prison, Emily is set to marry Dante (Michele Morrone) in the most extravagantly Italian way possible, and she extends an eyebrow-raising invitation to Stephanie to be her maid-of-honor. Sound too good to be true? That’s because it absolutely is. Imagine asking the very person who was responsible for your incarceration to stand beside you on your big day. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, apparently — and in the most gloriously unhinged fashion imaginable. Italy, often painted as the epitome of romance, swiftly devolves into a deadly carnival of multiple murders, shifting allegiances, explosive mysteries, and relentless revelations.
Logic is rapidly tossed out of the nearest Italian villa window, sacrificed at the altar of shock-value twists and operatic reveals.
The first Simple Favor enthralled viewers by marrying the sumptuous absurdity of dysfunctional relationships with a heady undercurrent of sinister mystery. With Another Simple Favor, the stakes are evidently higher, the scale grander — but, crucially, not always matched by a script worthy of such excess. New characters enter this chaotic social blender, and, for a good while, it’s bananas-level fun to watch one jaw-dropping twist careen into another — until, inevitably, it isn’t. Logic is rapidly tossed out of the nearest Italian villa window, sacrificed at the altar of shock-value twists and operatic reveals. And herein lies the sequel’s greatest pitfall: an overindulgence in camp, where once there was a delicate balance.
Playing the endlessly layered and dangerously alluring Emily, Blake Lively exudes a magnetism that anchors her character from spiraling into cartoonish ridiculousness.
With stories like these, maintaining the equilibrium between suspension of disbelief and narrative plausibility is everything. Teeter too far into implausibility, and the tightrope snaps. The magic fades. And eventually, so does the fun.
Still, watching Blake Lively do what Blake Lively does best is a treat. Playing the endlessly layered and dangerously alluring Emily, Lively exudes a magnetism that anchors her character from spiraling into cartoonish ridiculousness. In less capable hands, Emily could have easily become a hollow, laughable figure — yet Lively imbues her with charisma, enigma, and a dash of human vulnerability. Opposite her, Anna Kendrick continues to be the audience’s avatar: skeptical, endearing, wildly relatable. Told largely through Stephanie’s perspective, Kendrick’s effortless comic timing, natural screen presence, and palpable chemistry with Lively make her the perfect guide through this swirling fever dream of death, deceit, and designer gowns.
Supporting players Henry Golding (as Sean), Michele Morrone (as Dante), Allison Janney (as Linda), Elena Sofia Ricci (as Portia), and Alex Newell (as Vicky) lend welcome shades of flamboyance and flavor to this zany concoction. Each seems fully aware of the kind of movie they’re in — and they lean in with gusto.
Yet Another Simple Favor succumbs to the classic ailment that plagues so many sequels: the drive to go bigger without necessarily going better. The pre-climax, in particular, veers into dizzying, almost insulting territory — a carnival of absurdities that beggar belief. All could be forgiven, of course, if the film maintained enough conviction to keep viewers invested in its otherwise wickedly delightful world. But conviction wavers — and so, sometimes, does the viewer’s loyalty.
Ultimately, Another Simple Favor is a messy, gorgeous, and deeply flawed affair. It is riddled with hiccups and logic-defying leaps — yet in a cinematic landscape dominated by grim prestige dramas and ceaselessly self-important storytelling, a campy, glamorous thriller filled with stunning people, lavish locales, and murder-adjacent conspiracies feels like an indulgence worth savoring. After all, sometimes, all you need is a beautiful mess to get you talking.
