The Hangover

Every year, and even more so lately it seems, there are a handful of films that seemingly tap into that most male of sentimentalities, running the gamut from slapstick to crude and rude. There’ve been films like the American Pie series, Superbad, Old School, Wedding Crashers, and even Pineapple Express that have all tapped into this most simple of veins. And the common theme of these films seems to be a unique blend of friendship and, well, debauchery. Well, feel free to add this summer’s The Hangover to the list but make sure you put it toward the top where it belongs.

The Hangover is the tale of four friends who head out to Vegas for Doug’s (Justin Bartha) bachelor party. Along for the adventures are Doug’s pals Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) as well as Doug’s soon to be brother-in-law, Alan (Zach Galifianakis). And the film taps into that most popular of Vegas adages, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” The only problem is that these guys can’t remember what happened, which is essentially the crux of the film. The film opens on the day after, with general mayhem surrounding the men and, with their buddy Doug having gone missing, they have to reconstruct the night’s happenings based upon clues they find within and without. The result is nothing short of hilarious.

Along the way, the men encounter a number of random characters. Heather Graham (Austin Powers, Boogie Nights) makes an appearance as a stripper with a heart of gold and a child in tow while Rob Riggle does his thing as a thwarted police officer. Rachael Harris makes a fine appearance as Stu’s overbearing girlfriend and Mike Epps racks up a few good one-liners as well. Kim Jeong’s “Mr. Chow” character is disturbingly funny but Mike Tyson is one of the scene stealers here, showcasing a decent sense of humor in his role.

Writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have scored a home run here with their solid dialogue that is racked with repeatable one-liners, mostly courtesy of Galifianakis’ character and Todd Phillips’ direction is surprisingly a step up from his previous work on films like Starsky and Hutch and School for Scoundrels. Granted, this isn’t Shakespeare but Phillips draws an honest emotion from his actors and crafts an interesting visual palette as well. All in all, it’s a solid treat.

The film’s only real flaws are a few moments where the action tends to seem prolonged, particularly surrounding the “Mr. Chow” character. Some of those elements could have been shortened or perhaps handled a bit differently but, ultimately, we’re picking at straws. This is a summertime buddy flick, not an Oscar contender.

Oh, and it must be said that if there is a show stealer in this film, it’s the more than funny Zach Galifianakis. His take on the socially awkward, pleasantly overweight character of Alan is laugh out loud hilarious. Galifianakis delivers the lines with aplomb and leaves you honestly wanting to see more. That’s the true mark of comic gold.

All in all, The Hangover is one of the best movies I’ve seen this summer and the funniest I’ve seen in a long, long time. It’s not a film for the faint of heart but for those with a heart needing a healthy dose of whiskey-soaked laughter, this is right up your alley. Take a few aspirin and spend some quality time with The Hangover; it’s well worth the time.

Tagged as: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Zach Galifianakis

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