The ultimate dude movie has arrived, and thanks to the dashing looks of Bradley Cooper, women will also enjoy "The Hangover."
Director Todd Phillips brought together a wild group of actors to help tell the story of one man's bachelor party gone wrong. or right, depending on your perspective.
Doug Billings (Justin Bartha) is the friend who is getting hitched.
The typical characters of a dude movie are all present. There is the fun-loving, carefree friend, Phil (Bradley Cooper). Also along for the fun is Stu (Ed Helms), the up-tight dentist with the overbearing girlfriend. And then there's Alan (Zach Galifianakis). He brings the movie what it needs - a man who got stuck back in ninth grade and hasn't learned how to think before he talks, and thank God for that.
For example, when the gang arrives at Caesar's Palace, Alan asks the receptionist at the front desk if the hotel is the real Caesar's Palace.
The night in Vegas starts off with some celebratory shots on the roof of their hotel. The twist comes the morning after when they find their hotel room trashed and have no recollection of the night before. The scene opens with Stu, who is missing a tooth, lying on the floor of the hotel room.
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Once Alan and Phil wake up, they realize they can't find groom-to-be Doug, and there's a tiger in their bathroom. The guys are baffled about their celebratory night because no one can remember anything that happened.
Since Phil is wearing a hospital bracelet, they decide to start there to piece together clues that will help them find Doug.
The lack of female roles in the movie shouldn't discourage women from going to see "The Hangover." Jade (Heather Graham) makes up for the lack of females with her sunshine smile and her light-hearted humor. Jade enters the story when Stu finds out (the next morning) that he married her.
Writers Scott Moore and Jon Lucas hit the comical jackpot. Alan says things that don't necessarily make sense and might be offensive, but his strange demeanor manages to enthrall the audience.
For example, when Alan finds a baby in the closet of their hotel room he decides to take it under his wing until they figure out who the mother is. After babysitting a while, Alan says it would be cool if he could breastfeed.
A cameo from Mike Tyson gives the story another strange twist, especially when he starts singing a Phil Collins song in the guys' hotel room, and then proceeds to knock Alan out. Tyson is in search of his pet tiger that went missing the night before.
The main complaint about this movie is that the only shots the audience sees from the crazy night were some pictures on a camera. The lack of footage from the night before makes it difficult for audiences to piece together the events and make sense of all the next-day confusion, but that was probably what director Phillips was going for.
Overall the movie offers 100 minutes of solid humor that can be appreciated by both men and women. There were middle-aged and elderly people in the theater enjoying the movie, but the main demographic is college-age. However, this movie is not for those who are easily offended.
"The Hangover"
Playing Everywhere
Rated R
A-
