Movie Review: 'Another Simple Favor' A Mystery Lost in Parody
- Robbie
- May 2
- 2 min read
Another Simple Favor review
Earlier this year, I had a great time checking out A Simple Favor for the first time. Thanks to its twist-filled story and the strong performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, I was hooked from start to finish. The mystery was genuinely engaging, and it quickly became my favorite film directed by Paul Feig.
Although I'd wanted to see it for years, I finally watched it to prepare for its sequel, Another Simple Favor, which sees Kendrick, Lively, and Feig all returning. Once it dropped on Amazon Prime, I gave it a watch and here’s what I thought.
Unlike the first film, which felt carefully crafted and stylish, this sequel feels more like the live-action equivalent of a straight-to-DVD Disney sequel. The quality noticeably drops: the visuals often look overly artificial, as if the film was mostly shot on green screen, and you can definitely tell.
Where the original struck a strong balance between dark thriller and sharp comedy, this sequel leans hard into parody. It plays like a comedy about thrillers, rather than a thriller with a comedic edge. The gripping mystery element is gone, replaced by silly one-liners that undercut the suspense and intrigue that made the first so compelling.
Kendrick and Lively still deliver enjoyable performances, but their characters aren’t given anything new or dynamic to work with. Both actors fall more into their familiar typecasts, which work fine, but don't allow them to explore or surprise the way they did in the first film.
As for the supporting cast, it’s nice to see some familiar faces return, Andrew Rannells and Henry Golding, for instance but the impact isn’t as strong this time around. The new cast members, unfortunately, don’t leave much of an impression and feel largely forgettable.
Overall, Another Simple Favor is the live-action equivalent of a straight-to-DVD sequel: it’s entertaining enough, but feels like a huge step down from its predecessor. The tone, plot, and characters just don’t click the same way. While I didn’t hate it, I definitely came away disappointed.
I’m giving Another Simple Favor a rating of 3 out of 5 stars and 6 out of 10.
What did you think?
Loved it
Hated it
So/So
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