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Spa Weekend: Strong Ensemble, Underwhelming Hijinks

Reviews highlight lively chemistry from Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris while critics say the screenplay is formulaic and the raunchy set pieces feel restrained.

Overview

  • Spa Weekend is an R-rated comedy about four longtime friends whose Malibu-area spa getaway goes off the rails when an uninvited chaotic friend arrives.
  • Reviewers consistently praise the four leads for believable comic chemistry and committed performances that lift otherwise thin material.
  • Critics fault the screenplay for predictable character beats, shallow emotional payoff and jokes that often land as cringe rather than dirty or destructive comedy.
  • Several reviews argue the script reads like a checklist of women’s-trip tropes and point out that the male writer-director duo leans on stereotypes instead of specific female perspectives.
  • The film opened in wide theatrical release with a roughly 97-minute runtime and was shot in Queensland, Australia, and early coverage questions whether its modest reception will translate to strong box office or streaming legs.