Another Simple Favor

Manuel São Bento

Coming into Another Simple Favor, I was ready to dive back into the delicious, twisted world that the original film so brilliantly established. While I appreciated the opportunity to revisit these characters, the movie's saving grace is undoubtedly the electrifying chemistry between stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. The ease and spark they share on screen, trading barbed dialogue and suspicious glances, proves both actresses are far more talented and compelling than the general audience perception often gives them credit for. They're the engine of this sequel, effortlessly selling their intricate, dysfunctional friendship against a glamorous backdrop. On a purely visual level, the film is a feast, with the costume design standing out as the undisputed technical highlight — the sheer extravagance alone warrants a viewing, but it's a beautiful distraction from what's missing underneath. However, that initial intrigue quickly gives way to disappointment, primarily due to the brutal and jarring tonal shift. Where the first movie balanced dark, sinister atmosphere with mystery, Another Simple Favor jumps headfirst into over-the-top, unabashed comedy that simply fails to mesh with the intriguing setup. The whole affair quickly becomes bogged down by a convoluted plot that features several unnecessary and uninteresting storylines, leading to a conclusion that not only feels endless but is also hampered by strangely artificial cinematography. The pivotal climax is shockingly distracting, using either poor green screen or oddly unnatural lighting that makes the real sets feel fake. Ultimately, I couldn't say I fully disliked or liked it; the film occupies a strange, underwhelming middle ground. The original mystery was a lightning-in-a-bottle experience that should've been left untouched, and that's still the better recommendation. Rating: C