The Hangover

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Mike Tyson, Mike Epps, Rob Riggle
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Four friends (Bradley Cooper, Ed Hels, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha) head to a Bachelor Party in Las Vegas. The next morning, three of them wake up with no memory of the previous night, and cannot seem to find their missing friend. As they search for him, bits and pieces of the crazy night start to come back to them.

Review:

Tim: The Hangover is one of the funniest movies of the year- the decade- and dare I say, ever? It is one of those surprise movies that comes out of seemingly nowhere to take the world by storm and instantly put itself into the collective social conscience. This is one of those endlessly quotable movies that only gets better upon future viewings. It is a different movie- a unique movie- and a great one.

One of my favorite aspects of this film is that it is really a mix of comedy and mystery (not too many of those). This really is a straight up comedy, but there is also a huge mystery element involved as well- where is their missing friend? This mystery is at the heart of the film and propels it forward. I loved this aspect of the film. We really want to figure this mystery out- but we're laughing hysterically the whole time as well.

The cast here was simply amazing. This was a career-making movie for Bradley Cooper. It was the ideal role, and he does excellent work. I really enjoyed him here. Ed Helms likewise gives a good performance. It is similar to his other roles, but his presence was so important for this film to succeed. Finally, Zach Galifianakis rounds out the big trio, and he gives perhaps the funniest performance of the film. What is so amazing is that Cooper, Helms, and Galifianakis are all such different actors, yet they work so well together. They have an absolutely unbelievable amount of chemistry, and that is why this movie works so well. The rest of the cast is good as well, with Justin Bartha as their missing friend, and Heather Graham as the hooker with a heart of gold.

The script is truly hilarious. This is one of the greatest bachelor party movies of all time, as well as one of the greatest Las Vegas movies ever made. What is so amazing is that this isn't a film that hangs its hat on a handful of brilliant jokes- this is a movie that is funny from start to finish. I don't think I went five minutes in this entire movie without laughing out loud at least once. That is incredibly rare. The movie uses terrific dialogue, visual pranks, and humorous situations to get laughs. This is a film that does not rely on one way to make the audience laugh, and that is much appreciated.

Like so many recent comedies, this is a film that blends the gross-out humor with a heartfelt inner core. At the heart of this movie is really the story of friendship- true friendship. Three friends find themselves shocked when they have no memory of the previous night, and cannot find their missing friend. They then proceed to go to amazing lengths to find him- that's where the humor comes in, but this is a movie with a purpose- not a comedy just for the sake of comedy, but a movie that is actually about something.

The Hangover is a truly wonderful comedy. It is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, and unforgettable in so many ways. I loved this movie and was so impressed with nearly every aspect of it. I recommend it highly.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: He's Just Not That Into You, Bachelor Party; I Love You, Man; The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard