Spa Weekend review – The Swedish massage, not deep tissue, of Women Gone Wild movies

Let’s be honest upfront. If you’ve watched the trailer for new “women gone wild” comedy Spa Weekend, not only have you seen about 70% of the film, but if you’re familiar with this specific genre – which mixes R-rated dialogue, physical comedy and quieter heartfelt moments – you’ll be able to successfully fill in the story and character development blanks. Spa Weekend is as predictable as they come, but that’s not really the point of this kind of movie.

Nobody goes into, or should go into, something like Spa Weekend expecting dizzying twists and structural subversions à la Christopher Nolan. What you’re probably looking for is some light-hearted, slightly spiced escapism; something that women, especially, can gather their friend group for as a Girls’ Night Out cinema visit. Maybe nudged into the right receptive headspace by a glass of wine beforehand, you settle down to share in the silliness, and a few recognisable insights about female experience, vocalising what is rarely spoken out loud in mainstream media.

Spa Weekend certainly comes with the creds to deliver on that expectation. The film is written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the duo who made the two Bad Moms movies and together scripted 2009 hit The Hangover. Spa Weekend has also assembled an impressive cast of funny women, all of whom are set up on a foundation to play their comedic strengths to the max.

So you have a band of close-knit friends since middle school, now all hovering around the 50 mark, and whose professional and domestic responsibilities mean they have little time for each other. There’s Leslie Mann’s straight woman Jane, a single mother trying to manage her household, ailing father, and courtroom appearances, with absolutely no room for romance. Though with the sadly smallest part, Anna Faris is soft-hearted Sophie, whose spacy exterior masks a brilliant mind, but whose innate niceness means she’s been exploited by her boss for a decade. Michelle Buteau’s Coco (who delivers the film’s funniest one liners) is struggling with feminine rage, especially since her husband left her for another woman. Finally, there’s Isla Fisher’s Mel, a hot mess who always brings chaos with her free-spirited energy; so much so that her friends don’t invite her to the much-needed spa weekend of the film’s title. Of course, Mel (who’s often as exasperating for the audience as her buddies) arrives anyway, and shenanigans ensue.

Reading this outline, you should be able to guess how each woman evolves over the course of Spa Weekend. Chances are, you’ll be right on the money.

For the record, Spa Weekend sits somewhere between Bad Moms and Book Club in terms of its tone and energy. It’s not as raw as Moms, but with its liberal throwing around of the f-word and other sexual content, it’s definitely not as manicured as the latter retiree ensemble.

Featuring clearly affluent leads, who have First World problems such as out-of-order EV chargers, it would be hard to argue that Spa Weekend is ultra-relatable for most viewers. However, even as it steps beyond real-life credibility, the film still manages to massage in some recognisable points, like how often women sacrifice their wants to accommodate others. In the process, important friendships and love are demoted to unessential “nice to haves” and slip by the wayside. The same goes for self-care in general. You can also appreciate how the film is free of the female rivalry trope, outside of Coco’s projected rage.

Mostly, though, it’s about gentle escapism. Like Jane and co. seek a break from their stressful every day, viewers want the same from Spa Weekend. The film ticks that box, managing to be consistently entertaining as it walks a very predictable path.

Spa Weekend is in cinemas from Friday, 21 August.