7 Reasons why Emily Nelson and Stephany Smothers from Another Simple Favor are best friend goals

No one expects a woman who faked her death and another who exposed her crimes to end up back in each other’s lives. But Emily Nelson and Stephanie Smothers are not normal friends. Emily walks back into Stephanie’s book launch like she never went to prison. Stephanie agrees to be her maid of honor even though she knows something is off. That is how they operate. They understand chaos, and they never ask for apologies.

The new film drops them into a wedding filled with mob politics and family secrets. Stephanie finds herself under arrest for murder. Emily finds herself face-to-face with a sister she thought died at birth. Through it all, they stay connected. Not through trust or peace. Through experience. Stephanie knows Emily will do what it takes. Emily knows Stephanie will figure things out when no one else can.

They lie to each other, and they protect each other. They trade insults, and they raise each other’s kids. It’s not a clean friendship. It’s built on near-death moments and late-night schemes. But it works. They keep showing up when no one else does. That is not just survival. That is loyalty that refuses to quit.

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion.

7 Reasons why Emily Nelson and Stephany Smothers from Another Simple Favor are best friend goals

1. They understand each other’s darkness without judgment

Another Simple Favor (Image via Prime Video)

Emily once shot her husband and tried to kill Stephanie. Stephanie wrote a book that exposed Emily’s secrets and sent her to prison. That kind of history would destroy most friendships. But when they see each other again in Capri, they don’t flinch.

Emily walks into Stephanie’s book launch like nothing happened. Stephanie doesn’t run. They talk like the past is still in the room, but not in the way. There is no apology. There is just acknowledgment. They both carry too much to pretend they are clean.

They understand that their worst traits will always be part of the friendship. They don’t ask each other to be better. They just make space for the chaos. That kind of clarity builds a connection that doesn’t need repair. It just keeps moving forward. For them, trouble isn’t a problem. It’s the foundation that keeps them locked together.

2. Their banter is brutal and honest

Emily shows up uninvited and tells Stephanie she might sue her. Stephanie replies with a joke about Emily’s rap sheet. The mood doesn’t shift. They both smile. It’s not friendly. It’s survival. That’s how they talk.

They use sarcasm like a language. Emily throws in a backhanded compliment. Stephanie answers with a reference to Emily’s prison time. No one takes it too far. They know exactly how far is allowed. They push each other without drawing blood.

This isn’t about comfort. It’s about recognition. They know each other too well to lie. They know how to speak the truth without sugar. It’s not that they like hurting each other. It’s that they respect honesty more than peace. In a movie full of lies and secrets, they are never fake with each other. That brutal clarity is rare. It is also why they never fully fall apart.

3. They rescue each other from total ruin

In the first movie, Stephanie saves Emily’s son and exposes the fake death. In the sequel, Emily fights off mobsters to drag Stephanie out of a death trap. Neither rescue feels exaggerated. Both are sharp and fast.

Stephanie doesn’t wait for permission. She digs until the truth explodes. Emily doesn’t plan a long speech. She bursts in and clears the room. Both women act without delay. They respond to chaos like it’s a reflex. It feels earned.

The rescues are not about redemption. They are about instinct. When one of them is falling, the other steps in. Not out of guilt. Out of habit. They don’t need thank yous. They don’t even need to explain. They just get it done. That rhythm feels locked in from experience. It makes their friendship messy but dependable. No one else in the story offers that kind of certainty.

4. They don’t flinch at the chaos

Stephanie gets accused of murder in a foreign country. Emily finds out her sister is alive and unstable. None of this slows them down. They don’t panic. They adjust. They treat disasters like errands.

Stephanie breaks house arrest to solve a murder. Emily keeps showing up at crime scenes in heels. It never feels performative. It feels like muscle memory. They’ve done this before. They both know what survival looks like.

They don’t need time to process. They need action. They don’t need comfort. They need control. When things spiral, they don’t look outside for help. They look for each other. That confidence doesn’t make them safe. It makes them dangerous. Most friendships fall apart under that kind of weight. They get stronger. That stability inside chaos makes them impossible to shake.

5. Their loyalty survives absolute madness

Emily turns the gun on Stephanie. Stephanie once dragged Emily through a murder trial. But by the end of the sequel, Emily asks Stephanie to raise her son. Stephanie doesn’t hesitate. That says everything.

Nicky is the only thing Emily cares about. Giving him to Stephanie isn’t just trust. It’s surrender. Emily knows Stephanie will protect him even if they never speak again. Stephanie doesn’t treat it like a favor. She treats it like a fact.

There is no apology. There is no sentiment. There is only a promise made and kept. That level of loyalty doesn’t come from a clean past. It comes from knowing no one else could handle what they’ve handled. They’ve been to the worst parts of each other and stayed. That choice isn’t soft. It’s fierce. And it’s permanent.

6. They push each other to be more unhinged

Stephanie starts off in cardigans and control. Emily walks in with chaos and knives. By the end of the first movie, Stephanie is lying, planting evidence, and stealing back her identity. Emily doesn’t hold her back. She pushes her further.

Emily watches Stephanie crack and enjoys it. Stephanie watches Emily unravel and holds her to it. Neither one wants the other to be normal. They want truth. Even if it’s ugly.

They strip each other down. Not for drama. For clarity. Stephanie stops pretending she’s innocent. Emily stops pretending she’s above connection. They don’t change each other. They expose each other. It’s messy. It’s also honest. And that makes it addictive. You don’t root for them because they grow. You root for them because they never pretend they’re better than they are.

7. They’re the only ones who can handle each other

No one else knows what to do with Emily. She’s unpredictable, manipulative, and always armed with a plan. Stephanie sees through her games and walks straight into the fire. Emily respects that more than anything.

Stephanie gets underestimated by everyone. She looks sweet. She plays dumb. But Emily knows better. She’s seen the sharp edges. She’s felt the consequences. She knows Stephanie won’t break. That’s rare.

They are both disasters in motion. But they don’t ask each other to slow down. They just match pace. The friendship isn’t soft. It’s brutal. It isn’t warm. It’s real. They accept each other’s worst traits like they’re features, not flaws. That kind of understanding is hard to fake. And impossible to replace.