The Hangover
Verdict: One of the best broad comedies of recent years!
On first glance, the premise of this movie seems pretty familiar - a Las Vegas-set story centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures. They must then retrace their steps in order to find him. How writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore create comedy gold out of this tired formula with Todd Phillips in the director's chair is really something to behold.
Firstly the setup is pretty great - the trio wake up in their hotel room with zero memory of what happened minus a tooth, a wedding ring and pants. Add a baby and a tiger in the bathroom into the mix and you've got a classic building up.
The leads aren't household names but they probably will be after this flick. Each of them delivers with immaculate comic timing. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis each bring something special to their characters. Justin Bartha and Heather Graham are also around. There have been many comedies that I've found funny but haven't laughed out loud watching them. This one is an exception - I laughed so many times that I surprised myself.
There is crude humor and over-the-top language but not a single element is overdone. Every facet is pruned just enough for us to savor the shocks and have our funny bones engaged. And the best part - we are never shown what really happened through that crazy night. Instead, you have an awesome credits sequence with photos of the mayhem.
There really hasnt been a comedy this good in a long time. This is not awful satire like 'Scary Movie' or pot-smoking humor like Apatow. This is truly something else and something to relish. This is 'The Hangover'. Sign me up as a fan!
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