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Movie review: The Hangover, 8.5 out of 10
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The Hangover movie poster
The Hangover rates an 8.5 out of 10. As usual, this review will be as spoiler-free as possible; though for a comedy like this there is not much that could be given away. Let’s look at the Good, the Bad, and the Bottom Line.
The Good
Three things can sum up what was good about The Hangover: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis. They play Phil, Stu and Alan respectively and do a fantastic job. These are the three friends who take their buddy to Vegas for his bachelor party and manage to “misplace” him. They must solve the mystery of what happened the night before and get their friend Doug home in time for his wedding.
It may seem like an odd cast when we are used to seeing the likes of Owen and Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and seasoned comic stars like them taking the leads in rated R comedies in the past few years. Sometimes, however, a cast of newcomers or “no-names” will be put together and, when it works, makes a casting director look like a genius. The Hangover is such a film. These three guys are certainly not “no-names,” but the ever-elusive rated R comedy is a tough nut to crack, and they proved they have no problem cracking nuts.
The story telling method for this movie was also incredibly well done. The film opens with a scene after most of the shenanigans of the “hangover” have already occurred and then take us to a couple days prior as the friends set out for that “night they’ll never forget.” Then once the friends make the first toast or two to the groom-to-be, we are whisked forward in time to when they all wake up in a haze. The filmmakers then begin to give us one clue at a time as the headache-plagued trio starts to piece things together. Finally, we are shown what happened to their friend, Doug. There is even a nice closure piece that rolls as the credits begin, to help fill in a few more blanks. A truly great timeline plot that was paced well and very entertaining to see unfold.
The Bad
Fortunately, there is not a whole lot to talk about here. One thing to point out is when the friends find themselves in trouble (one of the times that is) and Alan is able to get them out of this jam. Without giving too much away, the mechanism used to get the friends out of this pickle worked for the film, but seemed a bit unrealistic for the character of Alan. You’ll understand when you see it. So, what’s the problem with a little non-realism in a movie? The rest of the film is actually quite believable. Pretty much everything that happens really could happen to a bunch of drunken idiots on a rampage night in Sin City. This particular scene with Alan stalled the realism momentum.
There were a few dialogue-heavy scenes that slowed the pace just a little. These were used at times when the friends were waiting for this or that. Some of this dialogue was funny, but a lot of it was simply filler and the film would have been fine if these scenes were trimmed a little. Is this getting a little picky? Probably. The pace in general seemed fine, but there were a few places that could have been improved.
The Bottom Line
If you have enjoyed rated R comedies of the past few years like Wedding Crashers and Old School then you will really enjoy this film also and may want to spend the money to see it in the theaters. If you’re not a huge fan of this genre, but enjoy comedy, then you can probably wait for the rental. After all, it is a comedy with virtually no special effects or huge scenery, so the appeal of seeing it on the big screen is far less than some of the other summer hits. All in all, this is a great comedy for anyone old enough for a rated R film.
By the way, see if you recognize the wedding singer, Dan Finnerty, at the end of the film. Where could you have seen him before? A virtual cookie to anyone who guesses correctly in the comments section! No internet cheating!
For another great look at The Hangover, check out the Norfolk Film Examiner's take.
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