Another Simple Favour **

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Allison Janney, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Michele Morrone, Elizabeth Perkins

Director: Paul Feig

Country: USA

UK Release: Prime

Back in 2018, Paul Feig (Bridesmaids; Ghostbusters) had a runaway hit with the camp thriller, A Simple Favour. In it, a single-parent vlogger became true-crime reporter as she tried to track down her mysterious new wealthy friend, who turned out to be a killer. Now, Feig and his cast have reunited in its sequel, trying to recapture the magic that set audiences alight. But, unfortunately, it completely fails.

Emily (Lively – Gossip Girl; It Ends With Us) has skipped bail and now lives in Italy, where she is betrothed to the son (Morrone – Subservience) of a crime family. Unexpectedly, she invites Stephanie (Kendrick – Pitch Perfect; Up In The Air) to be her bridesmaid. Now a successful podcaster, she agrees in order to get good content for her platform, even if she is very wary of her charming adversary. But upon arriving on the island of Capri, guests start being murdered and, of course, the police prove incapable of understanding the complexity of Emily’s life.

All good sequels up-the-ante on their first instalment, but in this case, the change of location and introduction of organised crime has taken this from a story about a twee amateur sleuth to something quite different indeed. In fact, if it wasn’t for the love-hate relationship between the women and all its queer sublots, this would bear no resemblance to the earlier film whatsoever.

The movie’s denouement is absolutely bizarre, feeling more like Days Of Our Lives than a multi-million Hollywood movie. Sure it’s fun and really silly, but this goes beyond an amusing diversion and ends up completely and utterly ridiculous. Lively and Kendrick are a great pairing – as before – with fantastic chemistry on screen, but this cult classic deserved a much better script that had at least some of the hallmarks of the original left intact. And while I would watch Allison Janney (I, Tonya; Juno) read a phonebook aloud, her role as Emily’s enigmatic aunt feels like she’s auditioning for Despicable Me.

This is, of course, frothy escapism and isn’t meant to be anything of real substance, but you can’t help but wonder whether Feig has ever spoken to a fan of his first film to ask what they actually liked about it. Because if you’re looking for a film about perky PTA-Mom accidentally embroiled in a real-life mystery, that ship sailed in 2018 and did not return to port this year. And if you also want an lesbian-incest storyline, emulating The White Lotus zeitgeist, then roll right up for this weird film!

UK Release: Out now to stream on Prime

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