Modern Raunch at its Best

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2012)

Ever since Wedding Crashers, there seems to be a winning Hollywood formula for comedies: include as much shock value/gross out humor as possible, and intermittently sprinkle in some scenes that allow actors to deliver equally shocking (and, of course, witty) dialogue that doesn't give the audience much chance to catch its breath for the duration of two hours. The Hangover sticks to this formula in many ways, but it also surpasses it on several levels. The random, seemingly haphazard nature of the events which occur in The Hangover are just enough to separate the film as a worthwhile entry into the ever- expanding catalogue of R-rated comedies.
If you've seen the trailers for The Hangover, you're already familiar with the plot. Doug Billings is getting married, and his buddies Phil and Stu have decided to treat him to a pre-wedding weekend bash in Las Vegas. Also along for the ride is Doug's soon to be brother-in-law, Alan (more about the brilliant performance of Zach Galifianakis later). Once there, the group quickly heads out for a night on the town. When they awaken the next morning, their $4200 per night villa is completely demolished, and there's a tiger in the bathroom. Strangely, they have absolutely no memory of the previous evening's occurrences. They soon discover that Doug is missing, and realize that in order to find him–and ensure that he's home in time for his own wedding–they have to play "detective" and figure out exactly what happened.
This is one of the few movies I've seen that actually benefits from a plot that feels cobbled together. It literally seems as if the writers decided that they needed: A) a baby in a cabinet, B) Mike Tyson singing, C) a stolen police car, D) a scene with the main players getting shot with a taser. All of this serves to highlight the eccentric nature of The Hangover and its characters, especially that of Alan Garner. Honestly, everyone else in the movie pales in comparison to Alan and his antics, be it his decision to use Carlos the baby as a puppet; his assumption that wearing white pants, a tee shirt, and satchel out onto the casino floor is perfectly acceptable; or his questioning the clerk at the front desk of Caesar's Palace about whether or not the actual Caesar lives there. Galifianakas delivers each and every one of his lines with an uncanny amount of deadpan wit that you almost feel sorry for everyone else–essentially, they're all playing the "straight man" to his character.
To avoid revealing too much about the developments in The Hangover, suffice it to say that there's no way they would've ever gotten out of Vegas given the stunts they pull. The movie is aware of its own ridiculousness, which is perhaps just as well, but I would've liked to have seen these guys really sweat things out and get their just desserts. With the exception of Alan, they all throw a few temper tantrums, but we all know how things will conclude–and, in the end, things do play out exactly as you'd expect them too, making this not quite as risky as, say, another ridiculous, self-aware comedy: Pineapple Express.
So, all of that taken into consideration, what's the verdict on The Hangover? It's funny–at times downright hilarious. In many ways, we've seen it all before, but the quirky nature of Alan–and the seemingly random plot developments–make it stand out. If you're looking for a carefree night at the movies, The Hangover is a sure bet.