Is Another Simple Favor Worth Watching? Here's the Verdict

If you thought A Simple Favor already pushed the limits of absurdity with its ending - congrats, you were right. And yet, someone decided to stretch things even further, until the whole thing snapped - welcome to Another Simple Favor.

A film that tries to be everything at once: comedy, crime thriller, social satire, luxury travel ad, and noir mystery with boutique lighting. Spoiler alert: it’s none of those things.

The sequel lands five years later, dropping straight onto Prime Video like someone showing up to a high school reunion dressed to impress - just to hear, “Wow, you’ve changed.” But really, the only big change here is the setting. The suburban charm is gone, replaced by a picture-postcard version of Italy.

The formula, however, remains untouched: Emily (Blake Lively) and Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) are back as an odd couple trying to survive a script that feels like it was written by a glitchy AI.

Quick Recap: What Happened in A Simple Favor

A Simple Favor worked because it started with something relatable - a casual favor between moms - and spiraled into a stylish thriller. Emily (Lively) is married to Sean (Henry Golding), and they share a son, Nicky (Ian Ho). They seem like the perfect family: rich, loving, unshakeable.

Stephanie (Kendrick), by contrast, is a widowed mom raising her son, Miles (Joshua Satine), on her own, living off her late husband’s pension.

The women cross paths when Emily asks Stephanie to pick up Nicky and watch him for a while. But then Emily disappears - for days. Since Stephanie is already taking care of Nicky, she grows obsessed and begins investigating. Over time, it looks more and more like Emily may have been murdered.

Stephanie and Sean bond, and eventually start a relationship - which, while ethically murky, is framed as a moment of vulnerability and passion, especially after Emily is declared dead.

But here's the twist: Emily isn’t dead. The body found belonged to her twin sister, Faith McLanden. Emily killed her and faked her own death to collect a life insurance payout. Meanwhile, Stephanie is doing amateur sleuthing to figure it all out. When Emily resurfaces, she wants revenge - but things spiral, and she ends up behind bars. Stephanie and Sean stay together.

There didn’t seem to be any real reason - or need - for a sequel. The original movie wrapped things up well. But here we are, five years later, and Another Simple Favor is here. So, what now?

The Sequel No One Asked For (But Prime Video Gave Us Anyway)

Watch the trailer for Another Simple Favor:

Another Simple Favor hit streaming on May 1st. Expectations were mixed - mostly driven by curiosity: what would the new plot be?

In short: Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) reunite for Emily’s lavish wedding in Italy - but soon get caught up in a whirlwind of murder, betrayal, and twists.

Stephanie is now a social media star, thanks to her popular lifestyle vlog. She’s also the author of a bestselling true crime memoir about her experience with Emily.

At her book launch, Emily suddenly appears - despite supposedly serving a 20-year prison sentence. The film waves this away with a vague reference to a legal loophole. She’s now engaged to Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), a powerful Italian... and a member of the mafia.

Emily asks Stephanie to be her maid of honor. Stephanie says no, but Emily threatens to sue her over the book, claiming image theft and privacy violations. Under pressure, Stephanie reluctantly agrees.

Dream Vacation, Narrative Disaster

The film is set entirely in Italy - and, to be fair, that’s its biggest win. It’s a visual feast, like a travel campaign: “Come see Italy for yourself!” Shot mostly on the Isle of Capri, with some scenes in Rome, the cinematography is full of sweeping aerial shots and luxurious set pieces.

But the problem? Excess. Yes, the movie looks expensive - but the extravagant backdrops and big-name cast can’t cover for a weak script. It all feels like a flashy distraction from the narrative chaos unfolding beneath the surface.

Spoilers Ahead: Because If You’re Still Reading, You Deserve the Truth

With the wedding approaching, tension brews. Emily and Stephanie clearly haven’t buried the hatchet - which is fair, since Emily once tried to kill her. Stephanie, understandably, is constantly on edge, half-expecting to be poisoned, pushed off a cliff, or cornered with a knife.

Off-screen, there have been rumors that Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick don’t get along. True or not, their onscreen chemistry remains strong - sharp, snappy, and tense in just the right ways.

We also meet Margaret (Elizabeth Perkins), Emily’s mother, and Aunt Linda (Allison Janney). Emily despises them both. Margaret suffers from dementia, and Linda appears to be exploiting her condition for personal gain.

Despite the drama, the rehearsal dinner proceeds. Sean - Emily’s ex and Stephanie’s former fling - is there too, now reduced to a bitter, drunken mess.

Then, the plot veers again: Sean is murdered in the shower. Weirdly, no one seems to care. Not even Stephanie, who in the past would have been all over the mystery. It feels like the film just wanted to write him out quickly. The reveal of who killed him? Rushed and underwhelming.

By the Time the Big Twist Hits, You’re Just Ready for the Credits

Despite everything, Dante and Emily’s wedding goes ahead. The whole thing is an over-the-top spectacle, clearly designed to scream “mafia power.”

During the celebration, Dante is murdered - and Stephanie, the last to see him alive, becomes the prime suspect. She’s placed under house arrest and forbidden to leave Italy. Though suspicion lingers around Emily, there’s no solid proof.

Wait, What’s Actually Happening Now?

Stephanie realizes she’s in serious trouble. Dante’s mafia family believes she’s the killer. She reaches out to the American authorities, who have been quietly investigating Emily all along.

Then comes the wildest twist of all: there’s a third twin. Yes - a secret triplet named Charity, presumed dead at birth, raised in secret by Aunt Linda for her scams. Charity is unstable, obsessed with Emily, and ultimately manipulated into killing Linda and taking the fall for... everything.

Emily disappears once again. But before vanishing, she asks Stephanie for “one more favor”: to raise her son, Nicky.

It’s frustrating to see so much money, talent, and potential wasted on a movie that ends up feeling like an overproduced soap opera - complete with a setup for yet another sequel.

In the final scene, Portia (Dante’s mother) finds Emily in Rome and informs her she’s now part of the Versano family - and that because of Dante’s death, Emily owes her a favor.

Honestly? You, me, and 99% of viewers want the same thing: for that favor not to be another movie.

Because if Another Simple Favor was already pushing it, imagine a third installment. A fourth twin? Charity’s revenge? At this point, it barely matters - every option sounds worse than the last.

Prime Video, do us all a favor: stop here.