Spa Weekend – Film Review
by Fran Winston

Directors – Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Writers – Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Stars – Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau

In cinemas August 21

Co-writers and directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have a decent ensemble comedy pedigree, having previously given audiences movies such as The Hangover and Bad Moms. Spa Weekend follows a similar premise, as four lifelong friends head off for a weekend getaway at a luxury spa.
Jane (Mann) is celebrating her birthday, joined by her lifelong friends Coco ( Buteau) and Sophie (Faris). While they deliberately exclude Mel (Fisher), the friend they “don’t really like” who is capable of making a car crash look like a stroll in the park with her antics, she shows up anyway.
The weekend quickly descends into farce as her often infantile and always outrageous behaviour compromises her friends and forces them to confront their own issues.

This leads to some of the filmmakers’ trademark “wacky” set pieces, including a not-so-high-speed chase in a stolen golf cart and a bawdy brawl in the middle of the luxurious lobby.

Of course, because these women have lives and “depth”, we also get the obligatory moments of introspection and reflection. Stepping away from their everyday lives allows them to reassess where they are going – although spa manager Shanti (Heynatz) would clearly rather they sorted themselves out anywhere other than her establishment.

This is the kind of movie that is likely to generate very mixed reviews. At 97 minutes, it certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome, but the brevity of the running time means everything gets wrapped up far too neatly and predictably, with several plot holes thrown in for good measure.
The film does have plenty going for it. The four leads are all fabulous comic actresses, and Fisher in particular really throws herself into the role of the outrageous, over-the-top Mel. But they deserved better material than this, with Lucas and Moore too often reducing their comedic moments to the most puerile situation possible – think strippers and dildos – when it feels completely unnecessary.

The result is some uncomfortable giggles interspersed with the more raucous laughs – although there are fewer of those than you might expect.
The filmmakers are also determined to show that these women have emotional depth, but the reflective moments only serve to make for a rather uneven watch and often reduce them to stereotypes. The comedy and the more serious material never quite gel, leaving the film unsure whether it wants to be a raunchy girls’ weekend comedy or a heartfelt exploration of female friendship.

Overall, this is harmless and mostly enjoyable fun, ideal for a girls’ night when you just want to switch off. In fact, the man sitting beside me at the screening I attended announced: “I don’t think I am the target audience for this.”

And that, in many ways, is part of the problem. This isn’t really a date-night flick, and if half the potential audience feels alienated by the movie, that is inevitably going to affect bums on seats.

I love seeing female-led movies, and this has a very strong cast, but perhaps female filmmakers and writers should be entrusted with these sorts of films rather than leaving them to a male gaze that completely permeates this apparent chick flick.