Opinion: Spa Weekend (2026) Spoiler Free

Spa Weekend follows the story of lifelong friends Jane (Leslie Mann), Mel (Isla Fisher), Sophie (Anna Faris), and Coco (Michelle Buteau). Burnt-out from balancing careers and family life, the women decide a spa weekend might be their chance to unwind.

The women all have very different personalities. Unfortunately for them Mel, who they were already reluctant to invite, had other plans for the spa weekend. The trip quickly descends into chaos.

The concept is not dissimilar to Girls Trip (2017), but with a 9 year gap a movie like this was long overdue. It is an easy, but perhaps one-time, watch.

The official setup positions Jane as the workaholic, emotionally neglected centre of the group, but Mel’s storyline ends up driving so much of the plot as Fisher is given so much comic material. Coco’s relationship with her ex husband Roger also gets surprisingly substantial attention, which further pulls the focus away from Jane.

I don’t like the concept of the female friendship group where there’s always one woman everyone secretly dislikes but continues to invite. It’s kind of a tired dynamic, but at least the film ends softens the dynamic by making it clear the women do value Mel.   

They might not always get along but the ending says that she’s still an important part of the group because she brings the energy. This gives the friendship a little more warmth than the usual “we secretly hate this one friend” trope.

Spa Weekend is a good, enjoyable film, but I don’t think I’d rush to watch again. I went in expecting something with the same level of outrageous comedy and strong female friendship as Girls Trip, but it didn’t reach that level.

It was a good time but it feels less consistently funny and a bit too messy to have much rewatch value.