Opening night of SXSW 2025 was a star-studded affair. Paul Feig, Director of the opening film “Another Simple Favor” was present with Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick and numerous co-stars and staff in attendance. He was fashionably attired in a very western fringed soft leather jacket and cowboy hat.
Director Paul Feig on the Red Carpet for “A Simple Favor” at SXSW on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Connie Wilson).
Suffice it to say that the true fans seemed happy. Present on the Red Carpet were Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Henry Golding, Michele Marrone, Andrew Rannell, Bashir Salahuddin, and Alex Newell. The film picks up directly where the first left off and takes viewers to Capri, Italy.
Since the first film was not on my Must See list, the plot was incomprehensible to a newbie. Writing credit goes to Lada Kalogridis and Jessica Sharzer. There was the remark to Blake Lively’s son in the film, who is seen launching a drone, “You don’t need a drone to find your Mom. Just follow the trail of destruction.” (from Henry Golding). I snickered at the remark from the character who asked for “enough booze to kill a small show pony,” which seemed like a very good order.
Blake Lively, up close and personal, on the Red Carpet for SXSW opening night film “Another Simple Favor” on March 7, 2025.
But, other than the sets and costumes, I was not the audience for this one. Andrew Rannells said that, of the eleven scenes he had that were supposed to be set in Connecticut, all were shot in Rome. The listed Capri settings were J.K. Place Capri for the elegant wedding scenes, as well as Lido Del Faro (a west coast beach club), and Villa Jovis (ancient Roman ruins), but the sign on the back of one hotel door said Grand Hotel Quisisana, which is only 2,750 feet from the beach. Costuming of Lively at one point in a black outfit that looked like it came right out of “Bride of Frankenstein” was odd, but, again, not an expert on the desired effect for this sequel to movie number one.
The new lead who portrays Blake Lively’s husband-to-be in the film (Michele Morrone) was a handsome hunk of eye candy. So far, there have been no stories of the two not getting along. There were a few implied jabs on social media at the working relationship between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, but everyone played nice. (No lawsuits to date.)
Henry Golding on the Red Carpet for “Another Simple Favor” at SXSW on March 7, 2025 (Photo by Connie Wilson.)
Paul Feig directed “Snatched” with Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer, which I liked very much. (Where was Amy Schumer when we needed her?) This film was beautiful, with gorgeous sets and wonderful costumes. Director Paul Feig told IndieWire that he had never done a sequel and was trying to make his “Godfather II.” (I’m thinking, “No.”).
It was truly a star-studded extravaganza outside the venerable Paramount Theater for Opening Night of SXSW 2025 on March 7, 2025.
