An R-rated "teen" comedy that actually has some sort of heart...finally!

Rating: 8/10 (15 July 2009)

In recent years, Judd Appatow has become a major influence on comedy films. His R-rated films that he directs and produces are what seems to be in style, comedy movie-wise. Despite Appatow's popularity, his films all seem to have one major flaw, and that's his characters. Seth Rogen has yet to play a likable character, and never in any recent R-rated comedies, do we actually get the consistent feeling that people care for each other. The Hangover, along with being a dirty comedy, also contains likable characters, and heart. It's a refreshing addition to recent R-rated comedy films.
Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Stu (Ed Helms) are friends going to Vegas for their friend Doug's (Justin Bartha) bachelor party. Also going along is Doug's odd soon to be brother in law, Alan (Zach Galifianakis). After a wild night, the guys have forgotten what happened the night before, and Doug is missing. They have to follow various clues to figure out how they got to where they were, where Doug is, and various other amusing plot points.
It's hard to label this film. It's not really a sex-comedy, as there's not any overabundance of sex. It's not a drug comedy, because these guys aren't drug addicts, and the night before it not entirely their fault. It's more of just a comedy about 4-guys that happens to be rated R because of it's foul language and occasional nudity. It's nice to have an R rated comedy not out here to push the limits of the R-rating. Really, this is like the buddy comedy family film of rated R motion pictures.
The actors are great, and have a lot of chemistry together. Zack Galifianakis as Alan is really the one who brings most of the laughs with his performance as a complete moron, who's out of touch with reality, but completely likable. These guys may be profane and goofy, but they're still normal guys...again something Seth Rogen doesn't like to perform as. He always has to be angry.
There are a few problems in the film. It's got some spots that are missing laughs, and Mike Tyson is quite a bad actor, but aside from those, it's actually a well done buddy comedy and mystery. The box office has been gracious to this film, as well it should have been, and hopefully this R-rated comedy will show other producers of R-rated comedies, that comedies can still be successful even if the characters are likable (Amazing but true).
My rating: *** out of ****. 100 mins. R for some sex jokes, full frontal nudity, language and some drug use.