Spa Weekend: Movie Review

Cast: Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Anna Faris, Michelle Buteau, Dominic Ona-Ariki
Director: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

The influence of Bridesmaids continues to be felt throughout the comedy genre.

The latest contender to try and recapture some of the anarchic vibe of a female friendship on a weekend away comes in the form of this comedy from the writers of The Hangover.

In it, a group of friends, who no longer see each other as much anymore due to life commitments, come together to celebrate the birthday of Jane (Mann), a lawyer whose single motherhood means she has no time for herself.

So, when Coco (Buteau) decides that she, Jane and Sophie (Faris) will head away for a spa weekend to celebrate, the scene is set for female bonding and relaxation. But the friends are devastated when the fourth member of their long-time friend circle, the brash and brazen Mel (Fisher, playing OTT and enjoying every coarse moment) shows up at their idyllic getaway and causes chaos.

Spa Weekend can't quite escape its episodic feel as the group shambles from one chaotic encounter to the next - from Mel disrupting a guided meditation to problems during goat yoga, it all feels like it's a series of mini sketches aimed at confrontation with the Nine Perfect Strangers-esque spa owner Shanti.

There are moments of genuinely funny comedy here, but they're peppered too sparsely throughout the ultimately predictable story that ends up in a heaving pile of sentimental third-act goo. And while there are some truths unveiled about female friendships, Spa Weekend doesn't have much new to add to the genre, even if it comes in at a crisp 90 minutes.

Whether it's Jane finding love with a hunky yoga instructor, Mel being forced to accept she's the unwelcome one in the friend group, Faris' dumb blonde Sophie being forced to confront her boss or Coco having to deal with her anger and ex-husband, the film's script offers little in the way of unpredictability in among the raucous antics, slow-mo chaos and general boorishness that exists to show that women can do it too.

Credits hint at the more freeform nature of the film's improv and leave you wishing there was a little more of that sprinkled throughout, because unfortunately outside of a booze-fuelled visit to the cinema with friends, this is one Spa Weekend you may consider asking for your money back.