Blake Lively’s New Movie Slammed by Fans Despite Rotten Tomatoes Approval

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7 years following the debut of “A Simple Favor,” filmmaker Paul Feig teams up with actress Anna Kendrick once more for a sequel that intensifies the enigma even more. This latest installment has garnered surprising reactions from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Initially released in 2018, “A Simple Favor” was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Interestingly, this film was adapted from Darcey Bell’s novel of the same name, but the sequel deviates from the original source material. Despite some legal complications, the movie turned out to be a significant commercial success. Upon its premiere on Amazon Prime Video on May 1, “Another Simple Favor” received a 78% rating from critics and was awarded the “Certified Fresh” badge. However, audience reception towards the sequel has been less favorable, with only a 43% approval rating among viewers on the Popcornmeter.

In this updated version, the setting of Another Simple Favor shifts to the picturesque island of Capri, Italy. Here, Stephanie (played by Kendrick) joins Emily (Lively) at her opulent wedding to a wealthy Italian entrepreneur. However, even amidst the grand celebrations, the story takes an unexpected twist as a murder occurs. The cast from the original film, including Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, and Bashir Salahuddin, return for this sequel. Additionally, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Elena Sofia Ricci, and Allison Janney are new additions to the star-studded cast. The script continues to be penned by Jessica Sharzer in this continuation of the story.

At the South by Southwest Festival in early March, another movie titled “Another Simple Favor” made its world debut and received a positive response, earning an initial rating of 77%. With more reviews coming in following its streaming release, the film’s overall score has now risen to 78% out of 58 reviews, qualifying it for the “Certified Fresh” badge.

The reviewers largely concurred that this mystery-comedy sequel enhances the enchantment from the initial release, offering additional surprises, making it generally a fun and engaging movie to watch. Yet, some critics have expressed mixed feelings, arguing that the film attempts to recreate the allure of the first installment excessively and overloads with too many unexpected twists.

Hannah Rose emphasized that the sequel deviates significantly from the 2018 film’s saucy tone, likening it to a runaway train careening off tracks and plunging into the Tiber. She noted that the characters are primarily confined to their assigned roles of victim, suspect, or otherwise, with only a few receiving additional layers such as sympathy or creepiness once the twist is revealed. Moreover, she argued that the film’s glossy cinematography fails to compensate for its shallow content.

Another Simple Favor’s Audience Was Divided

In 2018, “A Simple Favor” turned out to be quite successful, earning an impressive 84% Certified Fresh rating from critics and 73% approval from audiences. At the box office, it raked in a substantial $97.6 million while only costing $20 million to produce, making it a commercial triumph. However, initial reactions indicated that viewers were less enthused, with more unfavorable reviews than favorable ones. Many criticized that a sequel wasn’t necessary.

Although some critics appreciated the sequel for maintaining the strengths of the initial film by being funnier with unexpected twists and turns, others had issues. They criticized the acting as subpar and found the plot confusing, describing it as both oddly predictable and lacking originality compared to the original film.

Another Simple Favor is streaming on Prime.

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2025-05-01 19:58