The Hangover

Movies, 2009, R
**Note - Yes, there are sequels to this film but I don't care. They don't really count. I've seen the second one once and never seen the third. This just regards the original film.

Premise - A groom and his groomsmen head to Vegas to celebrate his Bachelor party. When they wake up the next morning, with no recollection of the events of the previous night, they find themselves amidst chaos. There's a baby in the closet, a tiger in the bathroom, and massive signs of destruction. Worst of all, the groom is now missing. The groomsmen have to solve the mystery of their hangover and find their friend before the wedding starts.

Review - This is a freakin' classic for me. I've worn it out by watching it a zillion times, so this time around, I didn't find myself laughing out loud all too often. Instead, I just felt warm and happy from the nostalgia.

I consider this to be the king of outrageous comedy. The premise alone is classic, but the cast along with certain quotes have also become classic. In hindsight, though, it can be rather offensive. That's part of what drew me to the film as a tween most likely. Both as a teen and an adult, I take no issue with explicit content. What I mean by "offensive" is more along the lines of sexist, racist, heterosexist, or ableist - things I've become more sensitive to in recent years. I could make the argument that certain language or jokes were more acceptable in 2009 than they are in 2019, but... that might not even be the case. I think those jokes were just more acceptable to a 13 year old me than a 23 year old me. To be perfectly honest though, it's not truly every going to change my fond opinions of the film. I accept the films flaws for what they are and truly just have love for the idea of creating something so wild.

My favorite thing about this movie though is not necessarily the crazy jokes - it's the well-developed plot-line. What the writers were able to create through this premise was a mystery adventure. The audience along with the characters have to solve clues to figure out what happened the previous night, and it what order. They have to work together to fight to find their friend. And the story never falters. One crazy clue after another, with some red herrings, and really the film presents a very solid mystery considering how stupid the humor can be. Still one of my favorite films of all time. (97/100)

Quote -

"What do tigers dream of, when they take their little tiger snooze.
Do they dream of mauling zebra's or Halle Berry in her catwoman suit.
Don't you worry your pretty striped head
We're gonna get you back
To Tyson and your cosy tiger bed
And then were gonna find our best friend Doug.
And then were gonna give him a best friend hug.
Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug
But if he's been murdered by crystal meth tweakerrrs....
Well then we're shit outta luck"

What to watch for - This was Bradley Cooper back more in his prime and he was beautiful. I also think the guy who plays Doug is adorable.

If you liked this movie, I'd recommend Horrible Bosses!

Directed by Todd Phillips
Distributed by Warner Bros.