The party atmosphere of New Orleans' Bourbon Street is vividly captured under Malcolm D Lee's direction in this energetic comedy starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish. The women play lifelong friends – Ryan, Sasha, Lisa and Dina respectively – who go on a drunken rampage across the city, and their skilful delivery of physical and gross-out humour makes this a riotously entertaining experience. As they slurp on Hand Grenades and dance along with brass ensemble bands, spirited performances and the great use of location immerse the viewer in their infectious revelry. ­

The 'Flossy Posse', as they like to be known, haven't seen one another in five years due to some ill feelings. A falling out between 'the second coming of Oprah' Ryan, whose whole life is guided by being on-brand, and journalist Sasha, who runs a trashy celebrity gossip column, has kept them apart. When Sasha discovers Ryan's husband Stewart (Mike Colter) is having an affair with an Instagram model, the women confront the betrayal head on, with Haddish spouting obscenities and throwing shade with exceptional flair.

It is from this situation that screenwriters Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver (Barbershop: The Next Cut) get to show off their talent for devising outrageously funny scenarios and celebrating the supportive nature of female friendship. The actresses give off a charged aura of mischief and mayhem as they giggle and fall over each other in a joyful bundle of camaraderie.

Though Girls Trip slathers on the sentimentality in its final throes, the raunchy tomfoolery that's blasted in your face for most of the duration – a marvellous blend of Bridesmaids and the filthiness of the Farrellys – renders the ending entirely forgivable. The fact that peeing on a crowd of partygoers is depicted as a show of female solidarity and mega dance-offs are the way to recover from hallucinogenic absinthe freak-outs makes this an indecently refreshing tonic of a film.

General release from Wed 26 Jul.