The Hangover (2009)

O Masterpiece

O Excellent

X Good

O OK

O Mediocrity

O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / June 5, 2009

Recounting tales of drunkenness or mentioning the expression, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” always seems to make people laugh — why? I can’t explain their perpetual humorousness, but these two comedic concepts are the foundation for “The Hangover,” and sure enough, they’re still funny in this movie.

Along with being a comedy, “The Hangover” is also a mystery whose plot duration is three days. It begins with a jittery bride receiving the bad news on her wedding day that her groom has gone missing amid the revelry of his Las Vegas bachelor party.

To build the intrigue behind the groom’s whereabouts, “The Hangover” flashes back two days earlier and shows the four friends taking a road trip from Los Angeles to Sin City. As their wild night begins, the film jumps ahead to “the morning after,” where our curiosity is piqued further as we’re shown the bizarre aftermath of their all-night antics.

The previews reveal that the guys somehow acquire a chicken, a police car, a tiger and a baby — all mysteries because none of them remembers what happened. The true fun of “The Hangover” is learning how all this weirdness transpired, as the trio pieces the evening back together throughout the movie, while searching for the groom.

The director, Todd Phillips, is known for other party movies like “Road Trip” (2000) and “Old School” (2003). Justin Bartha plays the groom, but it’s the other three actors who carry this caper: Bradley Cooper is a restless school teacher and good-times instigator; Zach Galifianakis plays the hilarious yet alarming future brother-in-law; and Ed Helms basically reprises his Andy Bernard persona from “The Office.”

Despite its successes, “The Hangover” has one black eye, so to speak, that’s truly tasteless and borderline illegal filmmaking: In this appalling scene, a baby — yes, a baby — is compelled to make sex-related gestures. Multiple children were used to film the baby’s role, so one must wonder how many parents agreed to allow their child to be exploited this way, and how exactly were those babies persuaded to cry hysterically on cue?

Aside from this lapse in judgment, “The Hangover” is entertaining and reminiscent of Peter Berg’s “Very Bad Things” (1998). More than any other movie I can recall, this vulgar film has a surefire method for persuading its viewers stay for the credits. It’s impossible to leave — no matter how much you’ve had to drink.

Directed by Todd Phillips

Bradley Cooper / Zach Galifianakis / Ed Helms

Comedy / Mystery     100 min.

MPAA: R (for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material)