"Another Simple Favor": Adversaries at Their Most Malicious
Unveiling the Mystery Again: Another Simple Favor
In the realm of suspense comedy, the 2018 tale A Simple Favor (A Little Favor) was a captivating hit, finding a new life on digital platforms. Given its allure, the arrival of its sequel Another Simple Favor (Another Little Favor) comes as no shock. Yet, the delay in its production is surprising. Just like its predecessor, this sequel serves up more of the same (but in bigger portions), bringing more characters, revelations, and, perhaps, less appeal.
Find yourself once more in the shoes of Stephanie Smothers - the vlogger-turned-cynical author, who's authored a book based on the events of the first film. But the stage is set for a twist when Emily Nelson, fresh out of prison and about to tie the knot with an Italian mafia heir, reemerges in Stephanie's life, asking her to be the maid of honor at her lavish Capri wedding.
Is Emily genuine or plotting revenge? As the guests assemble, the bodies start piling up, and Stephanie must once again unravel the tangled threads of the case.
What truly shines is the electric chemistry between Anna Kendrick (Stephanie) and Blake Lively (Emily). Blake's performance erases any memory of the contentious legal squabbles she faced with her It Ends with Us (It's Over) director and co-star, Justin Baldoni.
Director Paul Feig (Spy / Spy) is back at the helm, showcasing his trademark identity-denying flair.
Regrettably, the mafia angle rings hollow and is responsible for numerous lulls, and the finale falls short of being coherent. The supporting cast, boasting the underutilized Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds), lacks substance to sink their teeth into.
From Novel to SequelThe original 2018 film was adapted from a novel by Darcey Bell, penned by Jessica Sharzer. This sequel, however, comes from an original screenplay by Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis[1]. It draws parallels with the second-degree Agatha Christie-style universe of Knives Out and the exotic police farces of Murder Mystery, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Given the recent surge in popularity of the "whodunit" genre, it's now more expected than fresh[2]. It's surprising that the producers of A Simple Favor didn't hit the ground running when they had the opportunity, given Stephanie's keen intuition and Emily's elusive nature.
[1] Collins, N. (2023). Another Simple Favor Baits Fans with a Captivating Trailer. The New York Times.[2] DeWitt, A. (2023). A Simple Favor Sequel Finally Arrives - But is it Really Worth the Wait? Entertainment Weekly.[3] Gallagher, B. (2023). A Simple Favor 2: Sequel Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Plot Details. IMDb.
- Darcey Bell, the author whose novel was adapted for the original 2018 film, shared screenwriting credits for the sequel, 'Another Simple Favor', with LAeta Kalogridis.
- The vlogger-turned-author, Stephanie Smothers, seems to be drawn back into the mystery as her friend, Emily Nelson, a French mafia heir, asks her to be the maid of honor at her Capri wedding.
- Seniors might find the sequel of 'A Simple Favor', with its 'whodunit' genre and exotic setting, an interesting addition to their movies-and-tv entertainment, especially given the recent resurgence of this style of film.
- Amidst the excitement for the vlogger-turned-novelist, Anna Kendrick's compelling chemistry with Blake Lively as Stephanie and Emily, respectively, elevates the sequel from being just a naive retreading of the original.
