‘Spa Weekend’ Review: A Comedic Escape with Leslie Mann and Friends

Starring Leslie Mann, Anna Faris, Michelle Buteau, and Isla Fisher, this new comedy from Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the duo behind ‘The Hangover’ and the directors of ‘Bad Moms,’ presents a straightforward premise. Three lifelong friends plan a luxury spa getaway to reconnect, but their unpredictable friend crashes the trip, transforming a weekend of relaxation into a chaotic adventure.

This setup has fueled a wave of female ensemble comedies over the last decade, and ‘Spa Weekend’ confidently embraces its genre. The film doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel; instead, it focuses on placing four talented comedic actresses in one location and letting them shine.

The film’s greatest strength lies in its fun-loving spirit, which also serves as its limitation. Mann, Faris, and Buteau find a comfortable rhythm as Jane, Sophie, and Coco, three women with a rich shared history, despite the script offering them limited individual arcs. Fisher, portraying the wild friend who disrupts their peace, fully commits to the physical comedy, making it enjoyable to watch her effort in selling each scene.

However, the film’s humor often feels familiar. The comedic scenarios, whether a wellness activity gone wrong or a late-night escapade at the resort, tend to follow predictable patterns without escalating into surprising moments. A more adventurous version of this film could have pushed its chaos further or allowed its characters to become messier in unique ways, but ‘Spa Weekend’ primarily opts for a pleasant experience rather than a memorable one.

What does resonate is the emotional undertone. Beneath the jokes and mishaps lies a genuine message about how friendships can be overlooked as careers and families take precedence, and the challenge of making time for those who knew you before all of that. While the film doesn’t delve deeply into this theme, its light approach works better than a heavy-handed lecture.

Set against the sunny backdrop of Palm Springs, the film exudes an escapist charm that aligns with its tone. At just under an hour and forty minutes, ‘Spa Weekend’ doesn’t overstay its welcome. It arrives, stirs up trouble, allows its characters to gain some wisdom, and exits before the audience’s goodwill diminishes. Adam Demos joins the cast as a resort employee who unwittingly becomes part of the group’s antics, utilized effectively without being overexposed.

While it may not be essential viewing, there’s a satisfying quality in watching four skilled comedic actors who clearly enjoy each other’s company on screen. The chemistry among Mann, Faris, Buteau, and Fisher compensates for a script that lacks surprises, and it’s their rapport, rather than any individual joke or scene, that propels the film to its conclusion.

I left ‘Spa Weekend’ entertained but not profoundly moved, charmed by the cast yet not entirely won over by the writing. It’s a solid girls’ trip comedy that relies on star power to compensate for a script that feels on autopilot, making it an enjoyable watch without being a must-see. My score is 6 out of 10.

Have you booked your own trip to see ‘Spa Weekend,’ and did this quartet win you over? Let me know in the comments whether you agree with my verdict.