Despite his initial hesitancy, director Paul Feig decided to go ahead with the sequel to his unconventional 2018 mystery, A Simple Favor. The sequel, titled Another Simple Favor, doesn't necessarily break the stereotype associated with sequels, which, according to most, hardly ever meet the same standards set by the original film.
Still, fans of the first movie are likely to relish the revival of the intriguing friendship between the two main characters portrayed by Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. Their intriguing chemistry injects a compelling element into this eccentric, oftentimes baffling narrative.
The sequel follows the story of the two central characters, Emily and Stephanie, who are initially united by a murder and eventually become partners in crime. Stephanie, played by Kendrick, is now a famous private investigator, while Emily, portrayed by Lively, has been sent to prison.
Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis's script picks up a few years later. Stephanie, now an author, is preparing to send her son for summer camp and is shutting down her crime-centric vlog. Unexpectedly, Emily resurfaces and invites Stephanie to serve as her maid of honor in her grand wedding in Capri. Her suspenseful return, coupled with her engagement to a wealthy yet mysterious Italian named Dante, stirs up new mysteries that Stephanie finds herself entangled in.
Set against the backdrop of the picturesque Tyrrhenian Sea island, the narrative takes several unpredictable turns. Director Feig increases the quirkiness of the film and prioritizes humor over seriousness, signaling that the sequel firmly plants its foot in the terrain of cheeky campiness.
The reunion of Emily's son with Stephanie, her meetings with Emily's ex-husband, and the arrival of some colorful guests magnify the hectic nature of the narrative. Despite these entertaining asides, the convoluted story lacks the strength of the first part and tends to rely heavily on exposition. Nevertheless, the magnetism of the two female leads makes the sequel worth watching.
Sadly, the deeper exploration of the bond between Emily and Stephanie could have brought more dimensions to the film. The movie's emphasis on the antics rather than the exploration of the relationship results in a sequel that almost loses sight of the powerful chemistry that initiated the storyline.
