Wrong, wrong, wrong.
From the director of Old School, this is a great buddy comedy flick that is unapologetically R-rated in the tradition of the recent Judd Apatow flicks. Rather than a workman-like plot that is an excuse to string several obliquely related skits together, The Hangover features a mystery-in-reverse that while predictable, is still exciting enough to keep the film moving at a brisk pace.
Three best friends journey to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, accompanied by the future brother-in-law to the groom. He is a well-meaing social misfit, who through the course of the movie reveals such diverse character quirks as a restraining order that prohibits him from being within five hundred feet of a school, a mathematical ability to rival most savants, and a penchant for understatement that allows him to steal scenes from the other actors.
The groom, played by Justin Bartha (Riley from the National Treasure movies), turns up missing after a booze-fueled night of debauchery. The remaining three wake up after their night of partying, unable to remember anything that they might have done. Their room is a shambles. A baby is in the closet, a tiger (a real, live tiger) is in the bathroom, and a chicken has taken up residence in the kitchen. Unable to find the groom Doug, the trio spend the bulk of the film trying to uncover what exactly happened and hoping to locate their missing buddy.
While there’s nothing spectacular about seeing it on the big screen, I walked away very entertained. Particularly mentionable is a cameo by Mike Tyson that features one of the funniest scenes in the movie. I never realized he had it in him. Stay for the credits–a series of still photographs provides the final clues about the activities of the fateful night, although to be fair, the pictures are not for the faint hearted. In at least once instance, I was surprised the movie did not earn an NC-17.
The wife and I just saw it this past Friday and loved it. Well done, not overly excessive in any of the rated R departments, and well written in my opinion. I though the 3 ‘buddies’ had very good on screen chemistry. And the ending ‘movie credit’ photos are a riot!