• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
        • CR for Kids
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Shop
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
        • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Kids
  • Radio/Podcasts
        • Catholic Review Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
        • In God’s Image
        • “In Charity and Truth” with Archbishop William E. Lori
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively star in a scene from the movie "Another Simple Favor." The OSV News classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/Lorenzo Sisti, Amazon)

Movie Review: ‘Another Simple Favor’

May 9, 2025
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

NEW YORK (OSV News) – Back in 2018, director Paul Feig helmed the black comedy “A Simple Favor.” Although sleek and clever, the film paraded outrageous sinfulness, including incest and murder, inviting viewers to enjoy the spectacle.

Now Feig returns with “Another Simple Favor” (Amazon MGM). Alas, while much of the moral waywardness of the original is still present — if, for the most part, only by way of supposedly humorous references to the past — the aesthetic assets on display seven years ago have largely disappeared.

Fundamentally, there’s an emotionally incoherent tone to the proceedings, which reunite the two very different mothers of young children, Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) and Emily (Blake Lively), whose odd-couple friendship was charted in the kick-off. That’s because the wicked deeds chronicled in that movie have rendered the former pals frenemies.

As a result, it seems unlikely that Emily would invite Stephanie to serve as the matron of honor at her forthcoming destination wedding on the Italian island of Capri. But so she does. In the same vein, when the duo go on to collaborate in trying to solve the pair of slayings that eventually mar Emily’s nuptials, their partnership strains credulity.

As for the insult-reliant, often foul-mouthed dialogue of Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis’ script, it’s hardly calculated to amuse moviegoers of taste. Some enjoyable visuals of Capri’s lovely landscape aside, “Another Simple Favor” amounts to little more than a logical and moral mess.

The film contains skewed values, including a frivolous treatment of incest and a benign view of homosexual relationships, brief but intense gory violence, a scene of masturbation, rear and shadowy frontal nudity, same-sex kissing, about a dozen uses of profanity, numerous milder oaths, pervasive rough language and frequent crude and crass terms. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Read More Movie & TV Reviews

Movie Review: ‘Supergirl’

Movie Review: ‘Toy Story 5’

Movie Review: ‘Disclosure Day’

Movie Review: ‘Scary Movie’

Movie Review: ‘Masters of the Universe’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on the horizon

Copyright © 2025 OSV News

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastors, associate pastors, and special ministry assignments
  • Former Cristo Rey Jesuit High School president named Baltimore County Schools superintendent 
  • Father Gould committed to mission as new rector at St. Mary’s Seminary
  • Quo Vadis Baltimore Beyond brings high school students together in faith
  • Relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque to visit Baltimore Basilica July 5-6

| CURRENT EDITION |

| Vatican News |

Pope Leo XIV calls for solidarity, prayers after deadly Venezuela quakes

Cardinals reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s June consistory: ‘We’re starting to get to know each other’

Who are the 4 US archbishops receiving the pallium from Pope Leo XIV?

Pope Leo tells cardinals war is ‘never blessed by God’

Pope Leo hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning authors at Vatican for discussion on power of written word

| Catholic Review Radio |

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Movie Review: ‘Supergirl’

Movie Review: ‘Toy Story 5’

Movie Review: ‘Disclosure Day’

Movie Review: ‘Scary Movie’

Movie Review: ‘Masters of the Universe’

| En español |

‘Presentes’: el arzobispo Lori ordena a 14 diáconos permanentes en una misa solemne y llena de alegría

La Renovación Carismática Hispana atrae al arzobispo Lori a la sesión de formación

Una fe que pasó de resistir a cambiar estructuras

Del mundo de la moda en New York a dirigir programas de liderazgo femenino

Católicos de Baltimore llevan la voz de los migrantes al Capitolio de los Estados Unidos

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Radio Interview: Nurturing faith in young hearts
  • Pope Leo XIV calls for solidarity, prayers after deadly Venezuela quakes
  • Movie Review: ‘Supergirl’
  • Meet four shining lights from the Class of 2026
  • Catholic high schools in Baltimore celebrate 2,250 graduates in Class of 2026
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastors, associate pastors, and special ministry assignments
  • Cardinals reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s June consistory: ‘We’re starting to get to know each other’
  • Who are the 4 US archbishops receiving the pallium from Pope Leo XIV?
  • Wisconsin priest charged with child sex crimes dismissed from clerical state

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2026 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED