An Insightful Review of "Couples Weekend" and Its Exploration of Infidelity
Sarah Duran
Updated on May 17, 2026
By Published May 8, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT Josh is a film critic and journalist with over nine years of experience in the entertainment industry. Entering the field at just 17 years old, Josh went on to make his own website, The HoloFiles, and social media brand Star Wars Holocron, the most followed Star Wars fan account on Twitter/X.
A member of both the Chicago Indie Critics and the Hollywood Critics Alliance, Josh has covered major industry events including Star Wars Celebration and, most recently, CinemaCon for ScreenRant. His work has appeared in outlets such as Game Rant and Comic Book Resources (CBR), and he has been featured in publications including the BBC and The New York Times.
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In the 1700s, Irish philosopher George Berkeley posed the question of whether objects can exist independently of perception. From there, the classic thought experiment was born: If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? That question is tackled by Couples Weekend, which was initially titled A Tree Fell in the Woods, in its own way, using an act of infidelity as the catalyst for an uneven but often funny and introspective relationship dramedy.
The film focuses on Mitch and Debs, played by Josh Gad and Alexandra Daddario respectively, two lifelong friends who travel to a remote cabin alongside their spouses to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Calling back to the tree metaphor, Mitch and Debs are nearly crushed by a falling tree while on a morning hike and, upon returning to the cabin, discover their partners, Josh (Daveed Diggs) and Melanie (Ashley Park), in bed with each other. To make matters worse, a heavy snowstorm locks everyone inside, forcing the quartet to confront the infidelity. In doing so, they discover the deeper fractures within their relationships, highlighting the tension that’s been simmering and is now coming to the surface.
Despite the seriousness of the premise, writer/director Nora Kirkpatrick crafts Couples Weekend as something of a genre blend. The film features a heightened, lightly comedic tone throughout, meaning that, as devastating as the news is for Mitch and Debs, the story is still presented with a sense of humor. Kirkpatrick’s script embraces that can come from a situation like this, which, alongside the relationship drama, creates a promising film that’s willing to poke fun at its own emotional roller-coaster ride.
Couples Weekend Excels Early On
Mitch and Debs initially agree to keep what they saw a secret, but the truth inevitably comes out. From there, the film is dominated by a series of emotionally charged conversations between the four characters. Early on, these exchanges are compelling, allowing the audience to watch two relationships unravel in real time while examining the motivations behind . The strength of the script is on full display, with quick, sharp dialogue that is laced with humor.
However, as the story continues, these conversations become tiresome and repetitive, and the characters go in circles to such an extent that the film loses all momentum. Only in the final 20 minutes or so does Couples Weekend recover from its derailment. The climax sets aside most of the humor in order to commit to the more serious themes embedded into the story.
Infidelity is at the crux of these conversations, but as they continue, the film goes even deeper to explore resentment, dissatisfaction, and the way long-term relationships can slowly erode a person’s identity. The cast do well to balance these serious themes with humor, delivering individually strong performances throughout, but what becomes noticeable with time is the surprisingly weak chemistry between characters. Mitch and Debs, for example, are supposed to be lifelong friends, but their relationship never feels convincing. The emotional intimacy between them often comes across as forced, which makes some key moments feel less organic overall.
Josh Gad Shines As The Film’s Comedic Heart
Still, praise must go to the actors. as the film’s primary source of comic relief, injecting the character with more than enough energy and personality to keep his scenes engaging. He relies less on big gags and more on sharp one-liners and well-timed delivery, a formula which ends up earning many of Couples Weekend's best laughs.
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Where the film stumbles is with not only its repetitive nature, but an added plot element that threatens to derail the tension between the characters. While attempting to get away from his wife, Mitch discovers a mysterious bottle of ancient alcohol hidden in the cabin basement. Drinking it sends him spiraling into what is essentially an extended psychedelic experience, and to make matters worse, he convinces the others to join him. This leaves all four characters engaged in an excruciatingly long, painfully unfunny intoxication sequence that takes the film away from its strongest element: the grounded conversations.
Only in the final 20 minutes or so does Couples Weekend recover from its derailment.
Ultimately, Couples Weekend offers an amusing and sometimes insightful look at the fallout of infidelity, but is bogged down by uneven execution. The premise is strong, succeeding as a blend of both classic drama and comedic tropes, and the film balances the relationship drama with sharp humor well. By far its strongest moments come from the quieter, often witty conversations that explore themes of love, resentment, and emotional disconnect. But the tendency toward repetition and the lack of convincing chemistry between Alexandra Daddario and Josh Gad in particular prevent it from living up to those highs.
Cast
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Debs -
Daveed Diggs Josh
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