The final tally is in. “The Hangover” was able to slip pass “Up” and become the #1 Box Office movie of the weekend. Not so surprising because the movie is freakin’ hilarious. I’m thinking “Land of the Lost” wish it had a hangover after its less-than-stellar box office opening (I overestimated the power of Will Ferrell).
“The Hangover” looks like just any other dudes’ night out flick, but it’s a funny movie from beginning to end. You have Doug Billings (Justin Bartha), who’s about to get married to the gorgeous Tracy (Sasha Barrese). Doug decides to go on a trip to Vegas for a bachelor party with his groomsmen, Phil, Stu, and Alan. Their vacation turns into a nightmare when Doug goes missing and none of the groomsmen remembers anything from the previous night. Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper) is an elementary school teacher and the “cool guy” of the group. Stu Price (Ed Helms) is the adorable dentist with a controlling girlfriend. Lastly, we have Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis) as the soon-to-be brother-in-law who’s a social misfit.
The movie starts out with Doug missing and fast forwards to the days before the trip. After getting to know the gang, we see them arrive in Vegas and they do a little pre-party drinking and toasting on the hotel rooftop. The scene with Alan is particularly hilarious when he makes a speech about how he feels accepted now because the guys are like a wolf pack to him and ends up with him doing a blood oath with a knife and freaking out the guys. The camera pans up after everyone makes a toast and we see the guys back in their hotel room knocked out.
The guys wake up from a bad hangover and start to panic. Alan goes to pee in the bathroom and sees a Tiger. Stu wakes up and finds his tooth missing. Phil notices that Doug is missing and this starts the guys on their journey to find Doug. They’re encountered by people they’ve met but have no recollection of, and each encounter gives them a clue to their missing buddy, but not before they get into trouble from the law, thugs and Mike Tyson. Worst of all, Stu finds out he’s married to a hooker, I mean escort.
There’s a certain scene that irked me. The guys were able to jack a cop car, have it be smashed and broken, but since they allowed themselves to be tased, the cops decide they can go free? I call BS. But hey, it’s a comedy, so they can get away with anything.
What’s a raunchy buddy comedy without topless girls, a bottomless dude, full-frontal breastfeeding, a bare ass Asian dude, and the best that Vegas has to offer. It’s adventurous and plays like a murder mystery about friends trying to find out what happened to them and their missing friend while encountering crazy situations.
Grade: B+
I’d just like to mention that Mike Tyson’s a sweetheart underneath it all.
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