Spa Weekend (2026) Review - Jon Lucas’ Dark Comedy

Jane (Leslie Mann), Coco (Michelle Buteau), Sophie (Anna Faris), and Mel (Isla Fisher) are the kind of friends who have history, but barely have a present. Jane is a type-A perfectionist drowning in PTA meetings. Coco is a loud, unapologetic force of nature whose career is booming but whose personal life is a dumpster fire. Sophie is a people-pleasing mom who’s forgotten she has her own needs. Mel is a perpetually frazzled doctor who self-medicates with sarcasm. They’re all running on empty, so they decide to splurge on a luxury spa weekend - a place of ayurvedic teas, silent meditation, and “positive energy” where they plan to reconnect. Naturally, within hours, they’ve smuggled in prosecco, offended the serene retreat manager Shanti (Erika Heynatz), and set their sights on the ridiculously handsome yoga instructor Kai (Adam Demos). What follows is a predictable but thoroughly enjoyable spiral of mistakes, mishaps, and long-overdue heart-to-hearts, with a side of accidental arson.

The movie lives and dies by its cast, and thankfully, the chemistry is unmistakable. Mann does her signature “sweet but unhinged” routine to perfection. Buteau is the scene-stealer, delivering every line like she’s trying to win a roast battle. Faris brings a wide-eyed, slightly ditzy energy that feels nostalgic for her Scary Movie days, and Fisher proves she’s still the queen of physical comedy, especially during a disastrous "mud wrap" scene that will have you wincing through your laughter. They play off each other with the timing of a seasoned improv troupe, and it’s that rapport that elevates the thin material.

Director Jon Lucas knows this genre - he co-wrote The Hangover, and you can feel that DNA here. The set pieces are broad and silly. There’s a botched ayurvedic cleanse that leads to a truly unfortunate bathroom incident, a couples massage that turns into a four-way therapy session you never asked for, and a final set-piece involving a bonfire that is less “spiritual awakening” and more “insurance claim.” But Lucas wisely balances the anarchy with genuine moments of pathos. A quiet scene between Jane and Mel, sitting by the pool at 2 a.m., talking about the fear of being ordinary, lands with more weight than you expect. It’s a reminder that underneath the vomit jokes and the stolen golf carts, these are women who are genuinely scared they’ve lost themselves.

That said, the script is a bit of a mess. The third act tries to squeeze in a reconciliation arc that feels rushed, and the romance with Kai is purely superficial, serving only as a mid-life crisis checklist item. Adam Demos does what he can with a role that is literally just a pair of abs and a forearm tattoo. Dominic Ona-Ariki, as the spa’s manager Roger, is a fun foil, but he’s underused. The pacing drags slightly in the middle, where a 15-minute segment about a “silent retreat” ironically slows the film’s momentum while the women mime their arguments. But the Oscar for Most Dedicated Performance goes to Courtney Clarke as the Ayurveda guru who has to keep a straight face while Buteau demands a “goddamn cupcake IV.”

The film’s comedy is broad, occasionally juvenile, but almost always effective. It’s the sort of movie that makes you laugh out loud one minute and cringe in solidarity the next. It doesn’t say anything new about female friendship, but it says it loudly, profanely, and with a lot of heart.

Pros

• Electric chemistry among the four leads; you genuinely believe they’ve been friends for decades.
• Buteau’s one-liners are pure gold and worth the price of admission.
• A solid balance of raucous comedy and genuinely sweet, emotional beats.
• Fast pacing, with a 97-minute runtime that never overstays its welcome.
• Several truly memorable, laugh-out-loud set pieces.

Cons

• The plot is formulaic and entirely predictable from the first scene.
• Adam Demos’ character is given nothing to do but look pretty.
• The third-act conflict feels manufactured and resolves too conveniently.
• Some jokes land with a thud, relying on tired tropes about “mom brain” or “crazy women.”

Spa Weekend is the cinematic equivalent of a girls’ trip that goes off the rails: it’s messy, a little bit reckless, and definitely requires a hangover cure afterward, but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have a great time. It’s a perfect streaming pick for a Friday night in, especially if you’re feeling burnt out and need a reminder that your friends are the ones who will help you hide the evidence of your bad decisions. While it doesn’t break new ground in the comedy genre, the stellar cast and their infectious chemistry make this a genuinely enjoyable escape. It’s not a masterpiece, but it is a whole lot of fun - and sometimes, that’s exactly what the weekend ordered.