The Hangover (2009)

Here we have a four guys in Las Vegas, well three really because one is missing. He got lost in a drug and alcohol induced blackout during his bachelor party. The Hangover is them trying to find him and piece together what happened the night before.

Thats the plot, and to the filmmakers credit, they manage to make it as fucked up and hilarious a situation you could possibly wake up in after the ultimate bender. But, heres the thing. This is not a good movie.

Structurally and politically I had some problems with it. Structurally, its very clunky. Flashbacks are used, but not well (or enough) to help the story arc, its really a series of sub-plots and tangents rather than a real story. And, I know it’s just a comedy, but comedies can be well put together, they can work as cinema. Politically, it is BRO-time, the only women in this are the Bride waiting at home (who is annoyed but forgiving), a hypocritical she-beast girlfriend, and A HOOKER WITH A  HEART OF GOLD!

No shit, they went there. There are some random naked women, too.

This is a flick, a dumb flick for bros. That said: I laughed my ass off. There are parts of this movie that are milk out the nose funny.

The script and direction isn’t all that good, not surprising consider the people who wrote “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” and the director of “Road Trip” are responsible.  The gold is all in the acting. Zack Galifianakis is amazingly funny. Also features super funny cast members from Arrested Development, The Office, Wet Hot American Summer, and uh…that nerdy guy from National Treasure.

I kinda hate Todd Philips, I think he might be a very bad person, so that I enjoyed this at all was a miracle. If you can turn off critical part of your brain and just let the laughs take you over, go for it. The rest of you, be warned.