“If a grudge is self-inflicted poison, then the person who invited you to this wedding is the most poisoned person that I have ever met. She doesn’t let go, and you are the biggest grudge of her life.”
I was a skeptic about this film. I didn’t think lightning could strike twice. A Simple Favor was a unique black comedy mystery film, and I expected that any follow-ups would fall victim to the law of diminishing returns. As it turns out, despite being seven years removed from these characters, for Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, it is as if no time has passed. Both Kendrick and Lively easily slipped back into their roles as well as their chemistry, which was vital to the success of the first film. I should have known that the film would be something special, given that it is the first sequel of director Paul Feig’s 22-film directorial career. Unlike the first film, Another Simple Favor is not based on a novel but an original story, which makes sense given where the first film left off. Returning alongside Kendrick and Lively is much of the cast from the first film, to include Henry Golding and Andrew Rannells.
When we last saw Kendrick’s Stephanie and Lively’s Emily, the two forged a unique friendship that helped bring Stephanie out of her shell. Emily was everything she wanted to be — beautiful, confident, and mysterious. However, Stephanie discovered that Emily wasn’t quite who she claimed to be. In fact, she was a narcissist con artist capable of murder, and Stephanie nearly fell victim to Emily herself. But with some quick thinking, she outwitted her idol, resulting in Emily going to jail.
Picking up five years after the events of the first film; Stephanie has become a true-crime vlogger and amateur detective and has written a book about her friendship with Emily Nelson and her subsequent imprisonment. The fame she gained from her vlog and her book is dwindling, and her confidence is beginning to wane. Enter, or should I say re-enter, Emily, who, thanks to her new fiancé’s expensive lawyers, is released on appeal. Ambushing Stephanie at her book signing, Emily surprises the audience and Stephanie by asking her to be her maid of honor and flying her to Capri, Italy for the wedding.
The ambushing in the bookstore was among my favorite scenes of the sequel. It was one of the scenes that best showed the Kendrick and Lively chemistry as the two verbally sparred. I know there are rumors regarding tension between the two actresses, but none of that showed on screen as the two slipped back into their memorable dynamic, which continued throughout the film. Another aspect that I thoroughly enjoyed was tension created by the mystery surrounding Emily’s overall motivations. Is she out for revenge? Has she really changed? Lively keeps us on our toes throughout the film as she switches from playful banter to seriousness like the flipping of a light switch. Kendrick has perfected the art of self-deprecating humor, which is her bread and butter throughout the film. It’s the sardonic manner in which she approaches the precarious situation that she finds herself in. What I did find surprising was the return of Henry Golding, particularly given the direction the character has been taken in. Not to give too many details away, but let’s just say that things don’t exactly go his away professionally or personally. I could have done with a little more Rannells, as he was another one with quick-witted one-liners.
Story-wise, things started off great with a lot intrigue as the stage is set for Kendrick’s character to find herself in over her head, with Lively’s character being the architect of her predicament. However, there are some predictable moments in how the scenario unfolds, such as the reveal of the overall puppet master and their motivation. Despite this, the film still delivers on mystery, intrigue, and well-timed comedy, so what more can you ask for?
If the film was a theater release, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it would win the weekend, as it would face stiff competition from the most recent MCU release. However, I will go as far as to say that it will dominate the Top Ten streaming list on Prime Video. Some of that would be credited to me, as I take the opportunity to re-watch my favorite scenes from the film. I encourage you all to do the same.
