Barb, Annie Mumolo and Star, Kristen Wiig, leave their sleepy hometown of Soft Rock, Nebraska for the bright sprawl of Vista Del Mar, Florida, stepping into a vacation that promises laughter and a dash of danger. They are clearly nervous about trying something new, but their bond remains steady as they spin a playful, personal myth about a woman named Trish who becomes a water spirit. This invented legend becomes a running thread that frames their every day on the coast and helps them cope with the unfamiliar rhythms of a glamorous resort town. The tone stays light and warm as they wander through sunlit afternoons, imagining themselves as heroines of a seaside fairytale.
On arrival, the two friends check into the luxurious Vista Del Mar Hotel and begin to dive into a catalog of excursions designed to push them out of their comfort zones. The banana-shaped inflatable inner tube ride becomes a symbol of their willingness to lean into whimsy and risk, a buoy between fear and delight. The hotel lights, the fish-market smells, and the chorus of vacation chatter all float around them as they map out new experiences, always returning to the heart of their friendship: a shared sense of loyalty, a readiness to laugh at themselves, and a stubborn, hopeful belief that life can still surprise you in the best possible ways.
Meanwhile, an eccentric and chillingly determined villain, Sharon Fisherman, has her own nefarious scheme for Vista Del Mar. Sharon’s backstory—bullying, isolation, and a pale, sun-sensitive appearance—paints her as someone who equates power with control and revenge. Her plan is to unleash lethal mosquitos that could threaten the town, but she needs a beacon to guide them to their target. To pull this off, she sends her loyal henchman, Jamie Dornan as Edgar Paget, to plant the device in the resort. Her promise to Edgar—one official, undeniable relationship—adds a personal stake to the mission, complicating his loyalties and setting up a tense game of trust and manipulation.
At the hotel bar, Barb and Star cross paths with Edgar, and the encounter unfolds with a surprising spark of camaraderie. The two friends find themselves drawn into his orbit, sharing laughs and shortcuts around their own hesitations about romance and risk. But when Edgar discovers he has misplaced the microchip that would complete the beacon setup, Sharon’s plan tightens its grip. She responds by dispatching another operative, Darlie Bunkle, to supply a fresh microchip and keep a watchful eye on the trio. Damon Wayans Jr. brings a sly, slyly conflicted energy to this turn as Darlie, a figure whose loyalties become a key pivot in the story.
Barb finds herself torn between her growing fondness for Edgar and her commitment to Star, who is also drawn to him in a complicated, secret way. The tension between loyalty and attraction begins to pull the two friends apart as they navigate their own hearts and the allure of a new romance. Star, meanwhile, develops her own quiet connection with Edgar, a relationship that deepens in private even as she maintains a front of solidarity with Barb. The emotional undercurrents are gently drawn, never melodramatic, but they deepen the characters’ arcs and set the stage for the climactic choices to come.
As the town prepares for the annual Seafood Jam, Barb resolves to wait for Star before trying the famous banana ride. Her plan shifts when she unexpectedly witnesses Star and Edgar in the act of sex on Edgar’s balcony. The betrayal stings, and Barb confronts Edgar, only to overhear his conversations that hint at deeper, more dangerous plans with Sharon. Barb brings this information to Star, and a rift forms between the friends as accusations fly. Star accuses Barb of jealousy, while Barb accuses Star of deceit. The distrust echoes the deeper ache that each of them hides—a longing to protect their friendship while still seeking their own paths.
Sharon capitalizes on the rift, using photographs supplied by Darlie to convince Edgar that Barb and Star are spies and that Star was manipulating him all along. Her machinations push Edgar toward a deadly conclusion. He captures the two women but cannot bring himself to kill them; instead, he keeps them indoors for safety and to protect the beacon. Yet the escape is short-lived, and soon barb and star are dragged to an ocean cliff where Sharon forces them to jump. In a moment of practical magic, their culottes act as makeshift parachutes, letting them land safely. The pair reconcile, their friendship restored, and they double down on stopping Sharon.
Edgar has a moment of self-reckoning when he realizes that Sharon’s manipulations were rooted in a lie: she never truly loved him and was simply using him as a means to an end. He spots Star and Barb and joins their side, hoping to help them locate the beacon. He confesses his love to Star, but their moment is interrupted by Darlie, who holds them at gunpoint. A brutal confrontation ensues as Edgar fights Darlie, while Star and Barb seize the beacon and flee by jet ski toward the open sea, intent on saving Vista Del Mar from Sharon’s nightmare scenario. The chase is cinematic, a blend of action and comedy that keeps the tone buoyant even as the stakes rise.
Sharon, not deterred, launches a dramatic counterstrike by cannoning herself toward the ocean in a literal show of force. She regains the beacon, but the timing is cruel: the mosquitos have already begun to descend on the town. Barb and Star dive underwater to avoid the swarms, trusting in the resilience they developed together during their vacation. Their rescue comes in the form of Trish, the water spirit, who returns them safely to shore. Sharon does survive the onslaught, aided by an antidote she has managed to obtain, but the town’s fear and pain give way to a surprising, hopeful turn.
In the final act, Star recognizes that Sharon’s hostility is a relic of a bullied childhood, a wound that has never fully healed because someone never offered real friendship. The two women bridge that gap, and the people of Vista Del Mar join in a communal embrace of forgiveness and friendship. Barb and Star, having faced danger and doubt together, find renewed joy in their bond and in the communal celebration that follows. The town throws a party, and the iconic banana ride becomes a long, jubilant echo of their journey. Yoyo, Reyn Doi, arrives at the beach to help kick off the festivities, signaling that the town’s arrival at peace is complete and that life, in Vista Del Mar, can be wonderfully strange and wonderfully kind.
