Movie Review - The Hangover

Today I saw one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.  It is called "The Hangover".  I'll kick you off with the trailer for it:

Now I know, some of you may be thinking "Oh another bromance road trip movie, full of puerile sexist jokes, no thanks."  Thinking along the lines of all those other tacky sexist movies aimed at the fellas.  But you would be very, very wrong.

Yes, this is a movie about four blokes who got completely fucked up at a bachelor party in Las Vegas.  Yes, there is some puerile humour in there.  But that's where the stereotype ends.  I have to tell you, while the trailer is good, it is only the absolute tip of the iceberg with the humour in this movie.  As it is rated MA15+ in Australia, there is a lot of it they can't show in the trailer.  Not that it's offensive or crude or violent - it's just adult humour.  Particularly as there are scenes that Zach Galifianakis is without pants.  And there's lots of drinking references of course.

I saw it today with my friend Elizabeth, and seriously, it is a long time since I laughed so hard at a movie.  It's well cast with three very, very funny guys Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper.  It has a good, solid storyline.  It has a heart.  The mystery of what they got up to the night before is one that keeps you hooked into the story.  And I will tell you, the cameo by Mike Tyson is bloody brilliant.  Don't get me wrong, Mike Tyson is a nutcase animal, he just is one that has been a good sport for this film, and his cameo just works perfectly.

Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms really stand out for me too.  Ed Helms carries the frantically panicking, henpecked, geeky dentist so well, his absolute freak-outs throughout the film are just brilliant.  Zach Galifianakis looks like he'd play a total foul-mouthed, unlikeable animal, but his character Alan is strangely endearing in is oddness, what with his polite manner (he never swears once in the whole movie) and his affinity with the baby, a dog, the hooker (Heather Graham) etc is adorable, but not the rude chubby kid with the mobile phone!

And Bradley Cooper isn't a chore to look at either.

Honestly, this movie had me laughing so hard I was struggling to breathe, my face hurt, my throat is sore tonight and I am going to buy the DVD.  Because I truly think that it's going to be one of those movies that everyone quotes at each other, and tells each other that they just HAVE to see.  

Go see it.  I doubt you will regret it.  And that means you too girls!