Set in California, but shot in Australia, “Spa Weekend” (2026) is the perfect formulaic flick that knows what it is and delivers on its promise. Four women have been friends since childhood, but with so many responsibilities, it is hard to get together. Jane Walsh (Leslie Mann), Coco Bellinger (Michelle Buteau) and Sophie McCloud (Anna Faris) agree to go to Solaris Eden Beach but leave out Mel Higgins (Isla Fisher) because she is a wild card. Mel comes anyway. Will the weekend ruin or improve their lives? Writers and directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the guys who made franchises such as “Bad Moms” and “The Hangover,” may not have struck box office gold, but it is a wildly entertaining movie that avoids many of the women friendship comedy pitfalls.
If Mann did not exist, she would have to be engineered. With her zany unique voice, comedic chops and approachable gorgeous looks, she is the standard of the kind of actor who should be a staple in comedies. She can curse and get away with it because she is so cute. Jane is a lawyer, single mom of two and theoretical caregiver (her sick dad remains off screen) who is busy through June 19th. She wants a relationship and can pull hot guys but does not think she can make space for one. Cue Kai (Adam Demos, “UnREAL,” “Queen of the Ring”), who is into her, but they keep their distance despite exchanging glances. If my friend ditched me for him, I’d forgive her.
Faris is a legend on and off screen whether silver (CBS sitcom money) or big (the “Scary Movie” franchise). If you are lucky, you got her in the divorce to Chris Pratt, who was a nobody when he met her then boogied as his star started to rise, and the pounds started to drop. Faris plays Sophie with a wide-eyed innocence, and while all the leads engage in physical comedy, Faris’ work verges on stunts. For ten years, Sophie has been a quiet, beleaguered assistant with a man baby boss, Toby (Felix Williamson), the parking lot king of California, and another single mom (her kid[s] are never onscreen). Her work cell is practically surgically attached to her body. She is excellent at her job and deserves better but does not have the space to realize it.
Coco’s job is unknown, but it gets her a discount for the expensive resort. “Spa Weekend” gets points for acknowledging the state of the world and finances. She is a recent divorcee from Roger (Dominic Ona-Ariki) and cannot get over the fact that he is now dating an older woman, Margaret (Diana Glenn). Stay for the post-credits, which serve as an apology to Glenn for being the butt of age-ist jokes. “You’re beautiful. This is so fucked up.” They share two daughters, and Roger clearly still seems hung up on her, but wants her to go to therapy. As the humorless liberal who was ready to critique another angry Black woman trope and the unrealistic, ridiculous reversal of the man asking for a woman to get therapy, the dialogue and chemistry between the two pull it off and make this dynamic believable on a visceral level. Buteau is probably an artisanal comedic fave, but largely unknown to the masses so she gets some lines that address the cliché directly and got a laugh out of me. Ona-Ariki uses his laugh as an integral trait of his character and an implicit reason that Roger is still attracted to Coco. It is unlikely that any other actor could pull off what they do. Movie goers may actually root for those two crazy kids to work things out.
Cue Fisher as Mel, the secret ingredient who brings mess and magic into their lives to bring everything together. Mel is a bold, brash and bawdy Australian who keeps getting herself and her friends in trouble, but also fiercely loves them. This character is all trope, but Fisher breathes life into the cliché and makes her into an unbridled riot. Normally these characters are more annoying than amusing, but Fisher will squeeze more than a laugh or two out of even the most cynical movie goers. She balances a tough tight rope. Be so troublesome that the trio seem right to want to cut her loose but so lovable that they will not. For example, she ridicules a guy’s looks and calls him Mario, but she still hits on him and includes him on the fun. Her tongue is mean, but her actions offset it. She has keen insight on vulnerabilities and has the diplomacy of flat-footed clown shoes in a field filled with landmines, but she leverages it like a fairy granting wishes.
One horrible trait of comedies featuring women friends is the inevitable threat of a breakup. Movies can imagine the most unbelievable, unrealistic fantasies except for enduring friendships. The plot makes it work because the majority are friends, and when the quartet are together, they do have chemistry. Also, Mel does some objectively breakup worthy deeds. When it is time to make up, the set-up is so obvious and over the top ridiculous in the same vein as the entire movie’s humor complete with stupid physical comedy and threading a long running dynamic with Shanti (Erika Heynatz, who is brilliant as the straight woman), the spa manager and spiritual guru who is the opposite vibe of this group, that it feels like kicking a puppy to not go with it. It does not absolve Mel of her sins but loves her because of them. At least it did not end with a court room scene. Let’s give “Spa Weekend” credit where credit is due.
Is it just an elaborate infomercial and consumer propaganda to get women to associate friendship and prioritizing self with high ticket items and needing a vacation from your life instead of improving your life? Yes, but let’s sign a waiver. It is not a real spa, and a movie ticket is still cheaper than the onscreen opulence. Sometimes people use movies as tourism, and “Spa Weekend” will appeal to you if you are looking for a trip without luggage. If you do want to see it on the big screen, you better hurry because it looks like the showtimes are plummeting in the second week.
Lately when I see rom coms or other conventional films and gripe, I wonder if watching too many movies have made me into the kind of film critic immune to commercial films’ charm (excluding horror and sci-fi franchises). Well, apparently not. “Spa Weekend” made me laugh, and I enjoyed watching the slick execution of the formula. Some bits may go on too long, but it is otherwise an amusing ninety-seven minute. Maybe it is not that funny, and I just wanted something competent after seeing a lot of try-hard, overlong comedies where the premise, environment and supporting actors are more fun than the main story and the leads, but hey, that is also what being a film critic is all about. I grade on a curve, and Jane and Coco are not the only ones who got lucky.
