Movie Review: The Hangover
By Justin Velasquez
June 8, 2009
Todd Phillips has a penchant for making the ordinary extraordinary - as
in extraordinarily funny. He was able to
take '70s comedy, spice it up and regurgitate it as Old School, considered by many to be an Animal House for a new generation.
After a few missteps Phillips returns to familiar territory where male
camaraderie and bonding, poor decision making and lots of alcohol and drugs all
add up to a hilarious and memorable film.
In keeping with an ages-old tradition, it's time for Doug's (Justin
Bartha, National Treasure) bachelor
party. With his wedding to the beautiful
Tracy (Sasha Barrese) in a mere two days, Doug treks to nearby Las Vegas for
one more night of fun and insanity with his three best friends. So with Phil (Bradley Cooper, Yes Man and He's Just Not That Into You), Stu (Ed Helms, NBC's The Office) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis,
Into the Wild) in tow, the four men
are ready to have an unforgettable night.
The next day, though, the group's fortunes change when they wake up to a
thrashed hotel suite, a missing groom and no memory of the prior night's
events. Unfortunately, the more the guys
dig for information and clues the more they realize how much trouble they're in. Despite that, they have to work past the self-placed
obstacles, find Doug and get him back to
One film came to mind when watching this film: 1984's Bachelor Party (starring a little-known
actor at the time named Tom Hanks). Both
films are similar, showcasing the idea of a fiancé's last night of singlehood. Both films have lots of humor and scenes
worthy of an R-rating. But The Hangover is so much different from
that earlier release because Bachelor
Party was just good fun and was representative of the mindless, sometimes
exploitative comedies of the '80s, whereas The
Hangover incorporates (somewhat) normal people participating in many sordid
acts that are appalling yet are understandable given the circumstances. This film is still about fun and humor but what's
genius about it is that you don't know what happened, and neither do the film's
characters. As they go along trying to
piece together the forgotten events you're following right along with them. It's only until the film's end credits that
the viewer truly understands the full extent of the debauchery that took place
on one fateful night in
Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have written a story that is
impeccable both visually and verbally.
The pair is also responsible for Ghosts
of Girlfriends Past, but that film comes nowhere near The Hangover. Simply put, The Hangover is hilarious from beginning
to end. Every scene is so packed with sight
gags and terribly funny dialog that it's almost disappointing that the film
isn't longer.
An added bonus is the impressive acting from the film's cast. Cooper is a rising star and his take on Phil
is one of both humor and concern. He is
a schoolteacher, married with child. His
character is almost a walking contradiction since he abhors the idea of
marriage and seems to be the most eligible of the group. But he's the closest thing to a hero that
this film has since he takes the lead in piecing together the forgotten night. Bachelor
Party wasn't necessarily Hanks' springboard to the
The short summary provided here doesn't begin to tap the surface of all
events that take place in the film. And
what's most impressive is the actual growing concern as to the whereabouts of
Doug. Is he dead? Is he alive?
Did he somehow gain amnesia and take off on his own? It's all part of the film's charm and the
brief, yet memorable, appearance of Mike Tyson is one of many hilarious and
soon-to-be-much-talked-about scenes in this unforgettable film. The phrase "What happens in Vegas stays in
Vegas" has never been more appropriate - it's just great for all of us that
this one didn't.
3.5 Stars out of
Four
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