The Hangover (2009)

Director:

Todd Phillips

Writers (WGA):

Jon Lucas (written by) &
Scott Moore (written by)

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Some guys just can't handle Vegas

Plot:

A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Party | Las Vegas | Hotel | Hangover

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Bradley Cooper	...	Phil Wenneck
Ed Helms	...	Stu Price
Zach Galifianakis	...	Alan Garner
Justin Bartha	...	Doug Billings
Heather Graham	...	Jade
Sasha Barrese	...	Tracy Garner
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Sid Garner
Ken Jeong	...	Mr. Chow
Rachael Harris	...	Melissa
Mike Tyson	...	Himself
Mike Epps	...	Black Doug
Jernard Burks	...	Leonard
Rob Riggle	...	Officer Franklin
Cleo King	...	Officer Garden
Bryan Callen	...	Eddie Palermo

Also Known As:

Hangover (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45241) | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Ireland:16 | Finland:K-13 | Sweden:11 | Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA (cut) | USA:Unrated (unrated version) | Hong Kong:IIB | Germany:12 (f) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:16 | Mexico:B15 | India:A | Brazil:14 | UK:18 (DVD version) | Australia:R (DVD version) | Australia:R (extended version) | South Korea:18 | Turkey:15+

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

During the first scene involving Las Vegas, the Danzig song "Thirteen" is played. The room number the characters stay in is room "2452", which added together separately equals "13". Thirteen is a very unlucky number in Las Vegas, hence the movie's entire plot.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene in the parking lot, Phil's blue shirt has blood spots on it, but when his chest is seen in partial profile after a cut, the shirt is totally clean.

Quotes:

Eddie Palermo: Listen to me, I'm gonna' tell you something. I know some sick people in my life, this guy is the craziest, wildest bastard I ever met in my life!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Rain Man (1988)

Soundtrack:

In the Air Tonight

A very funny movie

With the exception of one character (more later in this review), I found this movie filled with male, sophomoric humor. Having said that most of the females in the audience also enjoyed it; kind of an equal opportunity movie to offend all sexes equally.

Unlike most trailers that show all the humor in a 60 second clip, this movie will throw so many funny situations at you so quickly that you will be giggling non-stop for the first hour.

Then, the introduction of the Mr. Chow part - essential for the plot, but played WAY over the top by Ken Jeong - became distracting. Up to that point, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, and Zach Galifianakis carried the movie briskly and with real chemistry. Zach Galifianakis, in particular, was brilliant. Who is this guy???! The last 30 minutes were not as good as the first hour and I found the ending somewhat forced.

HOWEVER, everyone I talked with after the movie will be seeing it again. This is one movie that is as funny as advertised.

Of course, I will get flamed by those who find this kind of humor too low brow for their tastes. Hey, just know what you're getting into when you see this.