The Hangover: Movie Review

The Hangover: Movie Review

Rating 6/10
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Heather Graham, Zach Galifianakis
Director: Todd Phillips
We've all done it - partied so hard the night before and woken up to have little recollection of what exactly went on.
That's the premise of The Hangover - a gang of three guys head to Vegas to send off the groom in true style.
Only they wake up the next day - to find the expensive hotel suite trashed, various unwanted and unwelcome surprises in the room - and perhaps, worst of all, the groom is nowhere to be seen.
The trio of Stu (Helms), Alan (Galifianakis) and Phil (Cooper) decide to start retracing their steps to find the missing Mr-to-be before it's too late.
However, the further they delve, the more they realize they're in big trouble...
Vegas, baby - the retreat of so many middle aged people these days for bachelor parties, it's all becoming a bit clichéd.
And the road trip genre has been done to death as well.
So, what is there about the Hangover which is new?
Well, Todd Phillips (Old School) has assembled a pretty good, relatively unknown (outside of some circles) cast and a pretty amusing script with some great one liners.
And Zach Galifianakis.
His slightly dorky and awkward Alan is the main reason to see this film (although it's closely followed by Ed Helms' Stu, a dentist who can't see his relationship is a mess) - with most of the best (and oddest) lines, his bearded, pot belly attitude helps him steal every scene he's in. And at times, he's borderline idiot savant and rather than just idiot.
The three main actors teeter at points on physical slapstick - a scene in a police station brings to mind The Three Stooges - but all put in such restrained performances with potentially over the top material, that they make this film likeable.
However, as for any other cast, well they're reduced to cameos ( don't even get me started on how wasted Heather Graham was in this.)
A lot of the hilarity comes from the unexpected (which I don't want to spoil the fun of here by pointing out every gag in the film) - but the only real problem with The Hangover is that it's amusing throughout - rather than riotous.

Some of the best laughs come during the end credits - it's a shame that couldn't have been spread throughout.