The Must-See Comedy of Summer 2009

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2009)

Let me start by saying that this film was the absolute funniest movie of 2009. Director Todd Phillips has created comedic gold in this buddy comedy about a bachelor party in Las Vegas that goes horribly wrong when the groom goes missing; now, his three friends must piece together what happened over a night none of them remember to locate him in time for his approaching wedding. Similar to DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR but in a more adult vein, it's hilarious to watch the events unfold as the guys find out just how insane their missing night was. I'd been excited to see this movie when it came to theaters, having heard all the hype building behind it and it lived up to all I'd read.
The cast was phenomenal in this movie. The three main characters (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis) were hilarious, especially the character of Alan (Galifianakis). Future brother-in-law Alan was the requisite outcast character who's slow-witted nature never seems to fit with the cool Phil (Cooper) or the high-strung Stu (Helms). Supporting the main trio are a slew of cameos as the guys retrace their steps to find the truth. Jeffrey Tambor, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, and Mike Epps pop in for a few laughs and even Mike Tyson has a few scenes where he's surprisingly funny.
There isn't too much I can say about the film without risking dropping spoilers, as the film is just as much a mystery as it is a comedy. The film ranks as one of the funniest raunchy buddy comedies I've seen and was a much appreciated surprise when I caught in in theaters. It's an intelligent comedy with the perfect level of immaturity and some great performances, which should be enough to entertain anyone. Check it out and be sure to sit through the first half of the end credits where they show photos from the missing camera and shed some more light on the most insane bachelor party.