The Hangover

This movie is original. Who would think that that could be said about a movie where some guys go to Las Vegas for a bachelor's party and have a wild night? Not likely to be a fresh idea. The reason this is original is because the wild night was not shown but the affects of this psychotic episode is revealed in the consequences of what occured during the night the following day.

Bradley Cooper is Phil Wenneck and is up and coming movie star. His buddies are relatively unknown. One is Ed Helms who plays Stu Price. Another is Zach Galifianakis who plays Alan Garner.

Justin Bartha from National Treasure plays Doug Billings. It is his bachelor's party where these loony tunes occur. Doug is kidnapped by some Chinese criminals since the drugged up friends stole one of these criminal's money. About $80,000 in a black satchel bag. Mr. Chow is this man's name. Doug is snatched up sometime in the night and then shown to his friends the following night. Chow wants $80000 which does not belong to him since Alan is the one who actually one the money in the casino.

OK, these guys go to Vegas and plan on having one wild night. The last thing that is shown is them shooting the crap on the roof of the hotel/casino. During this time, their friend drugs them. Alan believes it is ecstacy which does not make it any better. Doing that is just unwise and a violation of trust at best. It is actually roofies, some nasty exotic drug. While on this drug, they do some incredible things. This drug warps ones memory and logic, the next scene they are shown crashed out on the floor in their villa with a tiger in the bathroom. No joke, a full grown tiger.

Heather Graham plays Jade in this movie who is a stripper. She marries Stu during the night when he is blasted off some roofies. This is not a drug that I know that much about. But they are married and Jade is gorgeous. Stu is on the verge of marrying a terrible woman who bitches at him all of the time and during their relationship, screwed a bartender on a cruiseline. His friends loath her, she is not appealing in any way. Stu is a dentist and pulled one of his teeth out. That is just crazy, he did not even feel the pain. Anyone who has had a tooth or teeth issue, knows this is lunacy since that pain is amazingly acute.

Mike Tyson is himself in this movie. He no longer has a tiger but he does in this movie. He also has a mansion. These three nutcases somehow made it to his home and stole his tiger. They pissed in his pool, or one of them did. This movie was hilarious. And the scene that involves them and this tiger is one of the reasons. How or why this tiger does not kill one of them while they are drugged out is beyond me.

Tyson wrecks Stu with a sucker punch while singing In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins. Just destroys him. Hilarious. Majestic song as well. Never gets old.

Stu dumps his horrendous girlfriend at the end and will probably return to Jade. Which is wise considering she works hard, seems nice, is a team player, and is gorgeous.

Funny man Mike Epps is Black Doug in this movie though he objects to being labeled by his skin color. Chow kidnaps Doug but these three fools believe it is their friend Doug. This is the Doug that sold Alan the rufies. How or why Chow grabs him and his associate(s) kidnap him is beyond me. They did win 80K though and this money somehow ends up near Doug-the white Doug.

The groom Doug goes with them to Tyson's home at 0300 in the morning and leaves his jacket at Tyson's home-in the tiger cage. This is what leads Tyson and his body guard to their villa later on that day.

The three characters return to the villa to seek out that money. They need that money since Chow offers them an exchange, 80K for Doug the next day at 1200. The money is not there though, they rip the Villa apart. The villa costs $4200 a night. They only planned to be there for one night. Two nights is approaching. Alan sort of makes up for his drugging his friends here. He is apparently good at black jack. His math skills are exceptional. The casino notices and before they try to grab the chips from his winnings, Jade comes through. She falls back and fakes a fainting episode. Her stunning looks would distract any pit boss and security guard. Well, it is not as if he won a million dollars. But Alan does win 82K. Wow. He was talking trash on the way to Vegas about how easy it is and he backed it up. So they make the exchange with Chow but Chow gives them black Doug. Epps is always funny as well.

This movie does not have any wasted scenes. It is probably the funniest movie of the year.

Tyson is impressed with the guys stealing a police car. That was funny. Yes, these fools stole a police car and this is how they transported the tiger up to their room. The tiger just walked with them out to the police car. They sexually assaulted the tiger as well. Ridiculous.

The exchange does not go their way, they want their money money back. Black Doug is happy to be free though. Stu has an epiphany during a converstation out in the desert with Black Doug. Stu determines Doug is on the roof. He is. On the drive back to Doug's wedding, Doug spits out the fact that he coughed up 80K in chips the night before. The group is ecstatic. Doug is sunburned and the wedding takes place.

Entertaining movie, humorous script. It is not politically correct, another reason to support this film. It is the funniest movie since Pineapple Express.

I allocate this movie four stars.****