A comedy anthem entirely about women written and directed by two men. Well, that’s your problem right there. Sometimes a comedy doesn’t have to be The Hangover to get middle-aged attention. It doesn’t even have to be Bridesmaids.
But it ought to do better than this.
Writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore clearly thought that if they could just get middle-aged women to act more like college fratboys, they’d have a winner. Instead what was brought to screen was a sad waste of talent. I’ve seen all four of these women be funny. Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau, and Anna Faris have all contributed to quality comedy; here, it’s just cringe. Spa Weekend constantly begs the question: “Is there an adult in this picture?” That might work for Revenge of the Nerds. Here? Less.
The basic premise is three women -all of whom have depressing lives- decide to forget their troubLes for a Spa Weekend. After all, it’s Jane’s birthday, and why not? Jane (Mann) and Coco (Buteau) decide not to invite their fourth childhood friend, Mel (Fisher), because she’s a trainwreck. Unfortunately, Sophie (Faris) doesn’t get the memo and Mel shows up anyway. Chaos follows. Mel immediately instigates a series 
of actions I wouldn’t find funny if men did them, like stealing a golf cart and going for a joyride (which I have done, btw), mouthing off to spa authorities (can’t claim that one), and pushing her friend into a relationship (yeah, don’t do that). I guess we’re supposed to find them funny if women do these things instead of men. Is that the joke? Not sure I get it. Is daterape on the table, too? That’s certainly a man thing I don’t find funny, ever.
Jane and Coco both have relationship issues and Sophie has job issues. Doncha just know that instead of hiding from them and enjoying a quiet friend weekend, they’ll all solve their problems thanks to Mel, the human tornado. Of course.
I am loathe to wonder what could have been made from this premise. In reality, four women would have a wonderful weekend together lazing about, drinking champagne, and maybe discussing a naughty thing or two. Yeah, that sounds incredibly boring, tbh, in movie form. In person form, it might be heaven. But what was put on screen wasn’t an improvement. Oh, things happened all right, but they just kinda made me embarrassed for all the women involved. And what’s the message here? “If you want to get what you want out of life, you should act like a man?” I’m not saying it isn’t true, but true or not, it’s a shitty message, and this is a shitty movie.
Three women spend a weekend away
Their troubles all gone for the day
That is until
Hurricane Mel
Touches down in every wrong way
Rated R, 97 Minutes
Director: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Writer: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Genre: “Don’t say ‘Bridesmaids’ Don’t say ‘Bridesmaids’ Don’t say ‘Bridemaids’ “
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Middle-aged women, I hope
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Anybody forced to watch this against their will
