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Spa Weekend Opens to Mixed Reviews as Its Star Quartet Steals the Show

The R‑rated, female‑led comedy seeks to revive broad theatrical laughs by foregrounding midlife friendship and self‑care, a move that could encourage studios to back more star-driven comedies.

Overview

  • The film opened in U.S. theaters Friday, Aug. 21, after a Fontainebleau Las Vegas premiere and weeks of cast promotion.
  • Writer‑directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore pitched the movie as a return to big, raunchy theatrical comedies inspired by their wives’ experiences.
  • Critics across early reviews praised the chemistry and comic talents of Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris while calling the screenplay thin and the tone uneven.
  • Reviewers singled out specific flaws including formulaic character boxes, underdeveloped backstories and jarring shifts between raucous set pieces and sincere moments.
  • Behind the scenes, the cast bonded during location shooting on Queensland’s Gold Coast and reviewers noted the film’s end‑credits blooper reel as a highlight that showcases the performers’ improvisational energy.