Another Simple Favor Review : Stylish and entertaining, but overcrowded with plot twists

Story: Five years after the events of A Simple Favor, Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) and Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) reunite in Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich, handsome — but dubious — Italian man. However, when murders disrupt the celebrations, Stephanie finds herself the prime suspect. Will she prove her innocence?

Review: Sales of Stephanie Smothers’s book, A Faceless Blonde, are sagging, and she needs to revive her social media following. Transitioning from vlogger mom to true crime queen, she gets her chance when Emily Nelson — whom she had sent to prison in the first film, A Simple Favor — returns and asks her to be the maid of honor at her extravagant destination wedding. Despite her misgivings, Stephanie accepts while questioning Emily’s true motives: is she seeking revenge for the broken marriage and prison sentence? Director Paul Feig maintains a sense of suspense, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats about this mystery. The plot thickens when murders occur at the wedding, and Stephanie is placed under house arrest as the prime suspect. With her phone and passport confiscated, the amateur sleuth must unravel the mystery and escape a grieving and vengeful mafioso mother, Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci).

Written by Darcey Bell, Jessica Sharzer, and Laeta Kalogridis, the movie remains irreverent and energetic, driven by Emily and Stephanie’s frenemy equation. Most of the entertainment stems from Emily, Stephanie, and Sean taking potshots at one another. However, the screenplay loses the plot (pun intended) with innumerable twists, many of which are predictable and borderline absurd. The narrative is packed with corny sequences, such as Stephanie sneaking out of the hotel room in a room service cart or being administered a truth serum. The story, which should have crescendoed with intrigue, falls flat, and the pace takes a beating frequently.

The performances help offset the narrative’s shortfalls. Every time the plot descends into chaos, the lead and supporting cast uplift it with their stellar performances. Blake Lively plays the mysterious diva to perfection and looks stunning in every scene. She sinks her teeth into the character, keeping the intrigue alive about whether she intends to kill Stephanie in revenge or genuinely wants her to be the maid of honour — a mystery eventually revealed, though not in a breathtaking way.

The screen lights up during scenes between her and Anna Kendrick, whose character arc has been further developed since the previous chapter. Elizabeth Perkins and Allison Janney stand out in their brief roles, which would have benefited from more screen time.

Although packed with too many plot points that don't always land, Another Simple Favor remains a visually appealing, one-time watch as a suspenseful comedy.