Another Simple Favor
Another Simple Favor
Starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Allison Janney
Directed by Paul Feig
Five years after surviving a murder attempt by someone she thought was her friend, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) is a famous true crime vlogger and author, but sales of her book are diminishing. During a book signing she is shocked to see Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) walking down the aisle - the woman she put in prison after killing her twin sister and almost killing her. Emily claims she got out of prison on appeal, and is about to get married to a man in Capri, and has another simple favor for Stephanie: to be her maid of honor. Obviously concerned for her safety, she still agrees in hopes of re-igniting her fame and fortune.
Upon arriving in Capri, Stephanie meets Emily's fiancee, the wealthy Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), who's mobster family is feuding with another family, but hopes to bring the two together. Sean (Henry Golding) - Emily's ex-husband - is also there with their ten-year-old son. Soon other wedding guests arrive and that night a murder shakes the festivities, leading Stephanie to think Emily might be up to her old tricks - but as the body count piles, she finds that she's in more danger than she could've expected.
"Another Simple Favor" is one of those movies that I was never expecting to see. The original "A Simple Favor" was decent enough that I gave it an A- even though I didn't remember much about it, and there didn't seem to need to be a sequel - plus with all the negative publicity Blake Lively has been getting lately, and this movie really seemed destined to be a flop. So to my surprise I found myself enjoying it - not because it's good, but because it's like a telenovela: a soap opera with everything you'd expect from such a genre, filled with outlandish premises and twists and turns, plus a touch of Italian Giallo that was extremely efficient.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively have great comedic chemistry together, and again despite the behind-the-scenes drama (such as reports claiming Lively and Kendrick didn't get along, yet that's something you could never see in the movie) they pull off a great buddy comedy. Kendrick's Stephanie has evolved from a mild-mannered mother from the first film to a more sophisticated, smart, and snappy woman now, as she investigates the murders to uncover the truth. Lively once again plays Emily with steely resolve, the smartest person in the room, and oozing with confidence and sarcasm. They compliment each other perfectly, but the problem arises with the fact that for the overly-long two-hour film, they don't spend as much time together as they should. When they're together, it's gold - when they're not, it's silver.
Director Paul Feig has a pacing problem with the movie, and if he had cut at least a half hour, it would've gone a lot better. One of the subplots involving feuding mobster families really wasn't necessary and didn't amount to a whole lot in the long run, plus some of the extra characters weren't needed, but again it's Lively and Kendrick that save the movie and makes it pop with its outlandish premise that is chock full of laughs, murder, and mystery.
Maybe the negative feelings I had going into "Another Simple Favor" made it actually appealing, but there's no denying the chemistry between the actors, the insane plot, and the gorgeous set pieces and costumes make this a fun - if too long - sequel.
The Score: B+
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