Spoilers ahead for Another Simple Favor, look away if you haven’t watched the mystery sequel!
Sequels are a tricky thing, especially if folks loved the original. Rather than a sequel nobody asked for, Paul Feig‘s Another Simple Favor is something that fans like me have been waiting years to see. The follow-up mystery (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription). But given the murderous way A Simple Favor ended, I needed a better reason why protagonists Stephanie and Emily ended up being besties again.
The Reunion Between Emily And Stephanie Was Way Too Easy
The chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively was a big reason why the first Simple Favor movie worked, but there was a lot of bad blood by the time its runtime was up. Stephanie slept with Emily’s husband, and the latter attempted murder in response. But after a few quips and a martini, the two were somehow able to put that all behind them for Another Simple Favor. And I simply couldn’t get over this turn of events while watching the sequel.
Obviously I know why this had to happen logistically. We needed the movie’s two leads to be on each other’s side once the bodies started stacking up during Emily’s wedding in Capri. But I really can’t imagine how homicide and adultery would end up being water under the bridge, especially with Lively’s character literally going to prison after the event of the first movie.
I wrote CinemaBlend’s A Simple Favor review back in 2018, and I’ve spent years telling anyone who would listen just how great Feig’s sassy mystery film was. I was pleased that a sequel was finally shot and heading straight to our homes on Amazon, but found that Another Simple Favor was lacking some of that same charm. And I assume I’m not the only one who found Stephanie and Emily’s friendship strange the second time around. Critical response to Another Simple Favor hasn’t exactly been glowing.
But I’d Still Totally Watch A Third Movie.
Of course, Kendrick and Lively could end up paired as these characters for yet another entry into this burgeoning franchise. The ending of Another Simple Favor set up future adventures for Emily, who was living in hiding in Italy. She received a mysterious assignment from Elena Sofia Ricci’s Portia, so it seems like the story could go just about anywhere in a threequel.
We’ll just have to wait and see how many folks tune into Another Simple Favor, and if Amazon decides to pull the trigger on a third installment from Paul Feig’s franchise. The release came amidst Blake Lively‘s legal issues with Justin Baldoni, so we’ll have to see whether or not any publicity is actually good publicity.
Another Simple Favor is streaming now on Amazon as part of the 2025 movie release list. Despite my complaints about the sequel, I’d still totally watch a third installment.