Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick; Pitch Perfect) was the typical, suburban "suzie homemaker" who had a parenting vlog and who baked all kinds of things for various school bake sales. One day, she met her new neighbor, Emily Nelson (Blake Lively; It Ends With Us), a glamorous businesswoman who was very secretive. When Emily went missing, Stephanie started investigating, but what she discovered was a web of lies that Emily had spun all in an attempt to claim the money from her insurance policy. After figuring out the truth, Stephanie was instrumental in getting Emily arrested. Five years later, as Stephanie is at a reading and book signing, Emily suddenly walks in to ask for Another Simple Favor from Stephanie.
With new lawyers, Emily is out of jail and is getting married on the Italian island of Capri. She asked Stephanie - her "best" friend - to be her maid of honor, but Stephanie is reluctant to accept, sensing a trap. However, when Emily threatens to sue Stephanie for using Emily's story and likeness without her consent, Stephanie feels she has no choice, so she packs her bags and gets on a plane. That is when things begin to get really interesting.
Once in Capri, Stephanie observes everyone around her, having become a private investigator in the last few years. She is especially leery of Emily, whom she thinks is out to get her as revenge for putting Emily in jail. Stephanie observes Emily talking to a business associate of her fiancé, Dante (Michele Morrone; Subservience), while Emily's soon-to-be mother-in-law plans a "surprise" by inviting Emily's mother and aunt to the wedding. However, after the ceremony, Stephanie sees Emily's new husband arguing with someone who shoots him. Not only is Stephanie then arrested for Dante's murder, but for the death of Emily's ex-husband, Sean (Henry Golding; Crazy Rich Asians) as well, who'd also been murdered.
Once again, Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) directed the sequel, which runs two hours flat. The script, written by Jessica Sharzer (Nerve) and Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island), is pretty good, and the characters are based on the 2017 novel by Darcey Bell. The level and creativity of cursing and insulting each other is unique, but becomes overkill after a while. However, the plot twists make the story interesting enough to keep the audience entertained most of the time. The third act becomes a little ridiculous and creepy, but overall, the movie is good and sets things up for another sequel.
The greatest parts of both the original film and its sequel are the two lead actors, Kendrick and Lively. They have great chemistry even though their characters are at odds with each other for most of the film. Kendrick is well cast as the perky PTA mom, while Lively plays up the chic, stylish fake Emily perfectly. Golding offers a few snarky jabs as the bitter ex-husband who was duped by Emily until he is eventually killed.
If one is looking for impressive moments in Another Simple Favor, they need to look no further than the costumes and cinematography. Emily's wardrobe is high-end fashion that makes a statement all its own, and the whole film is one big, beautiful postcard honoring Capri. Besides Feig's crime caper whodunit, these aspects, along with the insult, curse-laden script, make for an engaging movie that had the audience anticipating number 3 as they left the theater.
Another Simple Favor is, of course, not simple and certainly not a favor, at least not for Stephanie, but for the viewer, it is a sequel that is almost worthy of the original and worth streaming for those who subscribe to Prime Video.
Grade: B
