It’s distinctly possible to laugh but also not be super happy about it either….

In theatres now; Spa Weekend is certainly an affable light comedic affair about a group of middle aged female friends trying to re-embrace their friendship in the stresses of the world around them.  Here’s the “but” though, having this story written and directed by a couple of middle aged white guys feels at best disingenuous and at worst, a little icky.

Four lifelong friends realise that somewhere between careers, relationships, families, and everyday responsibilities, they have forgotten how to take care of themselves and each other. Burned out and overdue for a break, the women escape to a luxury spa retreat for what turns out to be an unforgettable weekend dedicated to fun, laughter, and a lot of really bad decisions.

Sure, Spa Weekend has many of the beats of the genre that will get even the most soured face person to let out the occasional laugh.  Unfortunately it’s the uncomfortable stereotypes that the movie plays with which also makes some of the excellent performances fall by the way side.

With credits ranging from The Hangover all the way to Bad Mom’s Christmas the comedic range of co-directors/co-writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore is so rangy that was only really designed to hit the broadside of a barn and not much else.  The writing has very little that’s actually inspired as we see these four stereotypical characters come together for their white lady hi jinks that of course has their one half black friend with them.  One has anger issues, one can’t stand up for herself, one can’t put her happiness first and the other deflects her insecurities by being “wacky”.

This was written by men imagining what it’s like when their wives go out for a “girl’s night”.  Sure it’s got the potential for some fun, but it’s so unbelievably tired  with some fairly generic set pieces that you’re actually a little embarrassed for not only some of the men in supporting roles who are relegated to stereotypes but this loaded ensemble of ladies trying to drive the story somewhere fun, and only kind of succeeding.

Quite honestly, Leslie Mann deserves better than this story as she is undoubtedly one of the most under rated comedic actors of recent memory.  She elevates mediocre material into something cute and memorable that at least gets us invested in her character as these women all navigate the men in their lives that range from moderately insensitive to hilariously boorish.  Michelle Buteau alongside her is high octane comedy that deserves to get more screen time, I’d pay real money to see Mann and Buteau in just about anything else then this, and they are that good and bring this film at least up to a passable level.

Isla Fisher more or less phones it in as the insecure crazy friend and Anna Faris has played the hilariously meek character so many times that it’s lost all impact when she finally grows a backbone and realises that she hates her job.  Adam Demos as the swarthy eye candy for Mann’s character actually does a good job here and allows us to see him as more than a set of tanned washboard abs but the rest of the men in this equation are either reduced to strippers, ugly guys, assholes and exes.

Sure the overarching message of self-care manages to elevate Spa Weekend into a nice little softball comedy, but the talent of the cast and the material which honestly was screaming for more of a female perspective could have taken this film somewhere genuinely funny rather than just being moderately cute and forgettable as you leave the theatre.