Another Simple Favor

Sometimes, one movie is plenty

Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively discover once is enough in the lame Another Simple Favor

After figuring out what happened to her missing mom friend and uncovering a murder plot, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) has become a famous true crime vlogger. She’s even written a book about her time with Emily (Blake Lively), who is currently in jail after a litany of crimes.

Or, she was in jail.

Stephanie is shocked when Emily appears at one of her book readings and invites her to a wedding. It seems Emily reconnected with an old boyfriend with dubious criminal ties, he got her out of jail, and now they’re getting married in Capri. Emily wants Stephanie to be her maid of honor.

Rightly leery of a woman who tried to kill her multiple times, Stephanie turns down the invitation…until she sees her book sales. Convinced that vlogging Emily’s wedding will be the boost her book needs, she sets out for Capri again.

When bodies start to drop, Stephanie is reminded why it’s never a great idea to agree to join a murderer’s wedding party.

There was no reason for this.

The original A Simple Favor was a light, frothy whodunit farce in the style of French Noir. Think The Crime Is Mine fused with Diabolique. It was filled with impeccable style, sly wit, and plenty of humor. Another Simple Favor, comparatively, is a bloated march through contractual obligations.

No one seems happy to return to these roles. Kendrick grimaces through each of Stephanie’s increasingly shrill adventures. It’s also irksome that they keep pretending throwing Anna Kendrick in a t-shirt makes her “frumpy”, but we don’t have time to take down the patriarchy and this film at the same time. Lively only seems vaguely aware she’s on camera as she flounces through scenes in preposterous outfits. When she’s given a chance to stretch her dramatic chops, she reminds me of Bette Davis’ infantile performance in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, only without the charm or knowing wink at the camera. Henry Golding seems to be hiding his face from the camera. Everyone on set seems utterly miserable, and it shows in every scene.

Worse still, director Paul Feig is devoid of his usual sense of humor and timing. Jokes, when present, fall flat. Every twist is telegraphed a mile away. Some visual gags aren’t explained at all and seem to be left in the movie as a mistake of the editing. The story itself is so obvious and ludicrous that one wonders if there was a story editor involved in the production at all. It’s a shame to see such a funny, feminist director fail his actresses and his film so entirely.

Most preposterously, the film sets up a third film. If the trajectory of the franchise is to be determined by the last two films, I can only surmise that viewing a third film may set your eyes on fire.

If you were a fan of A Simple Favor, please just watch that movie again. If you’re interested in learning more about Paul Feig, Anna Kendrick, or Blake Lively, you won’t be after screening this movie.

Verdict: I’d like to ask a favor from Mr. Feig — please abandon this series.

Another Simple Favor is rated R and is available to screen on Prime May 1.