Paul Feig’s Another Simple Favor is the follow-up to 2018’s A Simple Favor (which I have not seen prior to viewing the sequel). There seems to be enough scenes incorporated into the sequel to provide a background of what happened between the two main characters, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily (Blake Lively). This film can stand alone with what is added, but out of curiosity (and other people’s opinions of the first), I will likely recommend seeing what we may have missed from these two characters before. The sequel has them in Capri for most of the film, so yes, there are stunning visuals.
Lively and Kendrick are good together in this portrayal of two ladies (mothers of boys) who are friends and then they are not. They have very different personalities and both actresses are excellent in their roles. They each have standout scenes and Kendrick is excellent in her comedic roles. There is one where she is asked to spill the beans against her will, but she talks about subjects other than what is expected. I will not spoil this – laugh out loud if you wish.
The costumes that Lively’s character wears are absolutely stunning from the onset, so much so, you can’t wait to see the next scene she is in to see the stunning clothing. Renee Ehrlich Kalfus’s costumes for Emily are liable to leave the audience wanting to rush out to buy some new high-end outfits. They are seriously beautiful, and the costume designer should receive more awards and recognition after her Costume Designers Guild Award in 2017 for Hidden Figures for Excellence in Period Film.
Synopsis: Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.
Emily (Lively) appears into Stephanie’s life after a few years. She announces she has a fiancé with high-priced attorneys. Emily insists that Stephanie be her Maid of Honor, and the pressure is on to travel to Capri – on a private jet. The groom is Dante (Michele Morrone), heir to an empire his mother Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci) oversees. She is not happy her beloved son is marrying the American. Sean (Henry Golding), Emily’s ex, is present only because he has custody of their mutual child, Nicky (Ian Ho), and is court ordered to take the son to the ceremony. Golding is great at portraying a mean drunk with great lines.
Elizabeth Perkins stars as Emily’s mother Margaret and Allison Janney as Emily’s Aunt Linda (who happens to pull a surprise by showing up at the wedding without asking Emily). Janney and Perkins are entertaining as they add their characters story as created by Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis screenplay. Anita Pititto stars as a maid in the hotel where the wedding party is staying and she has some very funny scenes I was not expecting. Quite the scene stealer with her comedic role. Stephanie’s agent/assistant Vicky (Alex Newell, Glee) goes to the wedding in Capri and seems to have the time of her life instead of “working”.
Overall, it can be a fun flick to view at home as it opens today, May 1, 2025, on Prime Video.
Rated R. Contains violence, sexual content, nudity, language throughout and suicide. 120 minutes.
This film was officially at the SXSW Film & Television Festival in March here in Austin, TX.
Source: Prime Video
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