With Spa Weekend arriving in theaters on August 21, 2026, it is a good time to revisit the comedies that share its particular brand of friendship, adult chaos and questionable decision-making. The new R-rated comedy brings Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann, Anna Faris and Michelle Buteau together for a girls’ trip that is supposed to be about relaxing and reconnecting, but clearly has other plans.
If that setup already sounds like your kind of movie, there are a few films worth watching first. From the filmmakers’ own Bad Moms to the wildly dysfunctional friendships of Girls Trip and Bridesmaids, these five comedies bring plenty of raunchy humor, messy friendships and disastrous decisions to the screen.
5. Bachelorette (2012)
Bachelorette takes the girls’ trip and friendship comedy into considerably darker territory.
Written and directed by Leslye Headland from her own stage play, the R-rated comedy follows three deeply flawed bridesmaids who reunite for the wedding of a former high school classmate they once mocked. When an ill-advised joke damages the bride’s wedding dress the night before the ceremony, the women spend a frantic night trying to fix their mistake.
Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan and Isla Fisher lead the cast as Reagan, Gena and Katie, with Rebel Wilson playing Becky, the bride at the center of the chaos. Each bridesmaid brings a very different kind of dysfunction to the group, from Reagan’s controlling personality to Gena’s bitterness and Katie’s wildly impulsive behavior.
Unlike Bridesmaids, which balances its raunchy humor with a warmer story about friendship, Bachelorette goes much darker and more cynical. It digs into jealousy, resentment, old grudges and the uglier side of friendships, while still delivering plenty of outrageous R-rated comedy. Fisher, in particular, gets plenty of room to embrace her wonderfully chaotic side.
The result is a fast-moving, unapologetically messy comedy that works well for anyone who enjoys R-rated humor without needing every character to learn a perfectly tidy lesson by the end.
Available on: Hoopla / Kanopy with a participating library card
Digital: Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV
4. Blockers (2018)
Blockers brings a different kind of chaos to the lineup. Directed by Kay Cannon in her feature debut, the R-rated comedy follows three protective parents who discover that their teenage daughters have made a pact to lose their virginity on prom night.
John Cena, Leslie Mann and Ike Barinholtz play the increasingly frantic parents, who spend the evening trying to prevent their daughters from going through with the plan.
What makes the movie particularly fun is how it flips the usual s** comedy formula. The daughters are given their own agency and the story treats their choices with considerably more empathy than the parents initially manage. Meanwhile, the adults’ increasingly ridiculous attempts to interfere lead to plenty of physical comedy and completely unhinged situations.
Leslie Mann is especially good as Lisa, a mother struggling to accept that her daughter is growing up and no longer needs her to make every decision. Beneath all the outrageous humor, Blockers has a surprisingly sweet story about parents learning when to step back.
Available on: Availability varies by monthly network cycles
Digital: Movies Anywhere and Amazon Prime Video
Related: Spa Weekend: Plot, Cast, and Everything You Need to Know
3. Bridesmaids (2011)
If what you want before Spa Weekend is another comedy built around women, friendship and absolute social disaster, Bridesmaids is essential viewing. Kristen Wiig stars as Annie, whose life is already a mess when her best friend Lillian asks her to be maid of honor. Her attempt to handle the wedding preparations while dealing with jealousy, insecurity and a new friendship quickly spirals into one disaster after another.
The cast is stacked, with Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper rounding out the ensemble. McCarthy is particularly unforgettable as Megan, delivering the fearless, physical performance that earned her an Oscar nomination.
The movie also helped prove that female-led adult comedies could become major theatrical hits without watering down their humor. With its mix of raunchy comedy, strong female friendships and characters making spectacularly bad decisions, Bridesmaids makes a pretty convincing case for a spot on your watchlist.
Available on: Availability varies by monthly network rotations
Digital: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango
2. Girls Trip (2017)
If the idea of Spa Weekend is four longtime friends escaping their responsibilities and getting themselves into increasingly ridiculous situations, Girls Trip is almost a perfect match. The 2017 comedy follows four friends who head to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival, hoping to reconnect and enjoy a few days away from their everyday lives.
Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish have fantastic chemistry, making their friendship feel lived-in rather than something created just for the jokes. Haddish, in particular, became the breakout star of the movie as the wildly unpredictable Dina, delivering the kind of fearless, outrageous comedy that makes the film so memorable.
The movie also knows when to slow down. Beneath the raunchy humor and outrageous set pieces is a genuinely warm story about friendship, loyalty and women giving themselves permission to have fun. That combination makes Girls Trip an especially easy recommendation for a comedy marathon.
Available on: Max / Hulu / Cinemax
Digital: Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV
1. Bad Moms (2016)
If you are watching Spa Weekend because the idea of a chaotic girls’ trip sounds like your kind of comedy, Bad Moms is the obvious place to start. There is also a direct connection behind the camera, as Spa Weekend is written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the same duo behind Bad Moms.
Starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn, the 2016 comedy follows three overwhelmed mothers who decide to stop chasing perfection and start enjoying themselves. What follows is a mix of wild nights, bad decisions and surprisingly heartfelt moments about friendship and burnout.
That balance makes Bad Moms a great warm-up. Both movies come from the same creative team and understand how everyday frustrations can become the fuel for big, R-rated comedy. If you want to see the kind of humor Lucas and Moore bring to an ensemble of women, this is the place to begin.
Available on: USA Network / MovieSphere+
Digital: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango at Home