Thanks for checking out our The Hangover review. If you’d like to see a video version of our The Hangover review you can see it at the bottom of this post.
I’ve been saying for years now that Bradley Cooper is a top notch talent and deserve to get a shot at leading a film. Comedy, drama, horror, whatever. He finally got that chance with Midnight Meat Train, but Lionsgate didn’t see fit to give the movie a wide release so basically no one saw him in it. Now comes The Hangover in which he, the whole cast, and the entire movie just completely shine! This is the comedy of the year so far.
THE GENERAL IDEA
The basic synopsis for The Hangover looks something like this: “A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.”
THE GOOD
This movie is frigging HILARIOUS!!!! Not two minutes ever pass by with some solid hard laughs. The trailers were obviously very funny, and I had a fear that maybe the best stuff was in there… it wasn’t. I could just rave on and on about how this movie is hilarious… but I’ll just say it’s hilarious and leave it at that.
Ken Jeong (the asian doctor from “Knocked Up”) is quickly becoming one of my favorite comedy character actors right now. He never plays a large part… the the parts he plays always end up being hilarious (I also thought he was the funniest thing I saw in Pineapple Express “you sucker of cock”. In “The Hangover” Ken plays a slightly larger role than he’s used to… but he’s gut bustingly funny each and every second he’s on screen and I’m telling you right now he’s already a nominee for John’s Best Comedy Moment of 2009. If you saw the movie you know exactly what I’m talking about!
I love movies about Vegas so I’m a little biased. I try to go about once every 2 months and always have such an amazing time… so when I see The Hangover guys driving through the strip and seeing all the sights… it just makes my heart happy. But more than that, the movie really does capture the spirit of Vegas for a lot of people who like to visit there. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas baby!
The whole “mystery” of where Doug is works great as you find yourself trying to figure out the problem as they go. On that level it’s a much smarter movie that you might think on the surface and it helped really get me into the movie.
The whole ensemble cast work very well, and while I feared on screen comedic chemistry between this bunch of guys might be a problem, it turns out my fears were all for not. Within about 10 minutes I really bought that these guys were all great friends finding themselves in the most ridiculous situation ever. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha aren’t quite on the level as say… the 40 Year Old Virgin guys were… but I for one can’t wait to see them together again for The Hangover 2.
THE BAD
There are moments (just a few of them) where the comedy almost went a little too far into the “slapstick” arena. Slapstick comedy can be great… but not when the movie has a real sort of feel to or isn’t a Slapstick movie in general. When that happens the comedy feels out of place and a little jarring. Like I said, it doesn’t happen often in the film… but I did notice it a couple of times.
While I don’t think a movie needs to give us (the audience) ALL the answers, there are several things that happen in The Hangover that never get explained in any way by the end. That was a little bit of a let down and a touch frustrating as an audience member. But that’s a minor gripe.
OVERALL
The Hangover is a flat out hilarious movie that also brings you along for the ride in trying to solve the mystery of what happened last night. Intensely entertaining and sickingly funny makes The Hangover the comedy of the year for me at this point. Overall I give The Hangover an 8.5 out of 10
You can see the video version of our The Hangover review here:
this was probaly the best summer film so far it was super funny && allen is super bomb.
The movie was hilarious. I just bought this shirt: http://www.orangemoonapparel.com/store/oma.cgi/oma.orangemoonapp.6757473+tigers-love-pepper.html
Before I found this review, I was seriously avoiding seeing this video but a couple of my friends wanted to go and see it tonight so to keep an open mind I looked for reviews and this one has given me an entirely different view on the movie. Looks like I will be seeing it tonight. Thank you! And I’m sure my friends thank you as well. ^-^
Not funny. Ever. I chuckled at the photo montage at the end, but really that’s it. Totally overrated.
“Sickingly”? I know, I know, everyone’s a friggin’ editor…
Incredibly overrated movie. Don’t really understand all the hype. After 40 minutes I was still staring at the screen waiting for a laugh. Doesn’t compare to 40 Year Old Virgin, don’t even try that. I counted 3 chuckles from me though, but at 9 bucks a ticket that came to 3 bucks a freaking chuckle. Laughing from beginning to end? Were you drunk or high? The people in my theater’s audience weren’t laughing, only a few expensive chuckles like me. I’d say wait for the NetFlix version, save the big screen for the big movies.
At 30 mill this not a small film , like i was told.
that movie was funny as hell. I got out of the movie with my jaw hurting me, cause I was constinately laughing.
dude john ive always wanted to know…..whats your hat’s backstory. you were it in like every video. i want to know where it came from, its history
what happens in vegas stays in vegas?? not if you contract aids there.
loved it! laughed so hard my lungs hurt by the end of it. even the credits were funny.
I’m getting tired of poop and vomit gags, seems like every move uses these nowadays, and I’m starting to hate it.
Can anyone comment if that is also the case with his film…if not that I’m all over it.
I don’t remember any poop or vomit gags. The only thing I remember involving any bodily fluids is Alan peeing in the toilet and turning his entire body around to see the tiger while still peeing on the floor.
The problem with this movie is that about half way in you’re no longer surprised by the things they do/find out, but the characters continue to be astonished. The audience gets ahead of the story and the story never catches up. Funny movie, but a movie of diminishing returns.
well your the only one that feels like that haha
Read the comment after mine. Also, a focus group of 10 people on the Movie Blog isn’t exactly solid statistical proof.
I found the chinese dude to be way OVER THE TOP. But the movie was GREAT.
The King from Role Models was the best thing in the movie.
That guy is awesome. He was great in Knocked Up as the doctor.
Ironically he actually IS a doctor. True story.
the movie was so funny!!! Btw, stay for the end credits people, those are just as funny. Oh yeah that Chinese dude or whatever with the crowbar was SO HILARIOUS. It did kind of drfit to slapstick, just in places though. Yes, it IS the comedy of the year! I think it’s only the third film this year I have given a 9 out of 10 to.
One of the funniest things about the film? Two words: Vengeance kid.
Two words: sofa pizza
The movie is really one of the best comedy’s of the past years. Its almost like Knocked Up and The 40-Year old Virgin. Good Review.
Jesus, now I guess I have to see this. The ads did nothing for me, though. If I didn’t laugh at the ads, will I find the movie funny? Is this one of those movies that has all of the best bits in the tv spots and trailer?
Spot on review, John. The movie was brilliant.