A new comedy called Spa Weekend lands in cinemas worldwide on Friday, August 21, and according to Time Out, it comes from the same duo who wrote The Hangover. This time, instead of a bachelor party, the chaos centers on a girls' wellness retreat gone sideways.
The pitch is simple: three middle-aged best friends book a spa break to escape their respective messes, only to be ambushed by a fourth friend they specifically did not invite. Leslie Mann, Anna Faris and Michelle Buteau star, with Isla Fisher playing the uninvited wild card.
At a glance
- Spa Weekend is written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.
- The cast includes Leslie Mann, Anna Faris, Michelle Buteau and Isla Fisher.
- Three friends book a spa weekend; Isla Fisher's character Mel was not meant to be there.
- The film opens in cinemas worldwide on Friday, August 21.
- Time Out compares its rhythm to a sauna followed by a cold plunge.
What works, what doesn't
Time Out's review is blunt about the formula. The set-up, a group of friends, a charged weekend, a third-act blowout, is exactly the same structure Lucas and Moore have used since The Hangover and Bad Moms. The film also leans hard on wellness-culture satire, with goat yoga and a hot yoga instructor as recurring punchlines.
Where it lands: the cast. Time Out singles out Buteau for the sharpest lines and Faris for the most grounded performance. Fisher's frat-boy energy gets called out as the engine of the chaos. Mann is at her best when bantering with the yoga teacher. The film stumbles when it tries to wrap up, with Time Out describing the closing scenes as mawkish and undercut by a soundtrack and editing choices that feel out of step.
What it means for you
If your group chat plans movie nights around comedies, Spa Weekend is a safe middle-of-the-week pick. It is not a destination film, but it carries enough gags to justify a Tuesday outing with friends who liked Bad Moms.
Say you are booking a movie for a birthday crowd that includes people who hated The Hangover. Skip this one. The same writer fingerprints are all over it, including the third-act party that comes out of nowhere. Time Out flags that exact beat as the weakest stretch.
Our analysis
The wellness satire is the most interesting gamble here. Goop-style culture has been an easy target for years, but most comedies miss because they mock the customers instead of the marketing. Time Out suggests Spa Weekend threads that needle better than expected, with Buteau's dialogue doing the heavy lifting.
The real comparison is Bridesmaids, not The Hangover. Lucas and Moore have never matched that film's emotional center, and Spa Weekend's finale, per Time Out, is weighed down by sentimental scenes and a rough audio-visual mix. Worth watching: whether this becomes the start of a wellness-disaster subgenre, or dies in two weeks at the box office.
Bottom line
Spa Weekend is a likable, forgettable comedy. Time Out calls it "a fun bit of escapism" that stops short of being a modern Bridesmaids. See it with a forgiving crowd. Wait for streaming if you want your money to feel earned.
Key takeaways
- Spa Weekend is a wellness-themed comedy from The Hangover's writing duo.
- It opens worldwide on August 21.
- Time Out praises the cast but flags a rough third act.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote and directed Spa Weekend?
According to Time Out, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who also wrote The Hangover.
When does Spa Weekend open?
Time Out lists cinemas worldwide on Friday, August 21.
Is Spa Weekend a sequel to anything?
No. It is an original comedy with the same writing team behind The Hangover and Bad Moms.
How does Time Out rate it overall?
Time Out calls it fun escapism and a solid female-led comedy, though not on the level of Bridesmaids.
Who plays the uninvited friend?
Isla Fisher plays Mel, the loose-cannon friend who was not meant to be there.
Source: timeout.com
