Another Simple Favor wants to be just as captivating as the first film, but it feels like the younger sister who is desperately trying to emulate the effortless grace of her older sister.

Another Simple Favor struggles to recapture the original's magic, overwhelmed by too many convoluted twists.

The chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively falters, weakening the sequel’s core dynamic.

Fashion and visuals are striking but at times distract from a plot that quickly unravels into confusion.

Despite strong direction and performances, the messy script leaves the mystery unsatisfying and forgettable.

Another Simple Favor is so focused on adding twist after twist to the story that it ends up twisting itself into an incomprehensible knot where nearly all of the magic that made the first film work is lost.

Director: Paul Feig

Summary: Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson reunite on the island of Capri, Italy for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman, which is interrupted by murder and betrayal.

A Simple Favor is one of those films that didn't exactly have a great box office presence, but it gained a following when it was released on streaming and as the years went on. There were a lot of things to like about the film, from the style to the story and the performances from the cast. It wasn't exactly high art or a mystery for the ages, but it was a good time at the movies. When they announced a sequel, people were excited but a little nervous. The first one was an adaptation of a book; this new film was based solely on new material, which doesn't always work out well. We had a lot of returning players, so could Another Simple Favor work as well as the first film? Maybe it could have if it wasn't trying so hard to be clever, but everything becomes a giant mess in an attempt to recapture the mystery of Emily from the first film. And it's made worse by the fact that, by the end, you're left wholly unsatisfied with the explanation for what was going on and why.