Spring Break
The Hangover Leaves Audiences Drunk with Laughter
By: Logan West
Issue date: 6/9/09 Section: Features
My first impressions from the trailer of The Hangover were hilarious, fun and the kind of time I would like to have in Vegas. Then I thought about how this plot may go awry, thanks to Dude, Where's My Car being one of the most recent "what happened last night" films. However, with a cast including Zach Galifianakis (Out Cold), Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers), Ed Helms (The Office) and direcotr Todd Phillips (Old School), I had high hopes they could salvage this style of film out of the ash tray Sean William Scott and Ashton Kutcher left their joint in. Thankfully, my hope glass was filled, spilled over the top and got the dog drunk too. This movie is the most hilarious comedy of the year with superb writing, directing and acting.
First off, a salute to writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore whose quips uttered by all of the characters, like the bride's father Sid, played by Jeffrey Tambor, take the movie to a laugh-out-loud factor that is off the charts. Not only do they provide witty one-liners that will inevitably be quoted for the rest of the year, but they also gave the actors dialogue that is believable between the characters based on their relationships as buddies and a future brother-in-law that does not feel forced. If you have seen the film already and you laughed until your diaphragm begged for mercy, I encourage you to see it again in order to catch the lines that occur following many of the one-liners that are even funnier than the preceding line. This is something that is rarely achieved by film writers because the following lines can take the joke too far, but The Hangover writers have joined the ranks of Superbad in their ability to carry the joke just far enough.
Coming from a director that gave us Old School, Starsky and Hutch and Road Trip, Todd Phillips has proven he can take a variety of actors, whether it be Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Tom Green, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell or Luke Wilson, to deliver films that provide strong attachments to characters that feel real to the audience. He also has shown that the characters in his movies resonate with us all, and let us hope he continues this trend.
I tip my hat to the actors involved in The Hangover. Without the right mix of guys or stripper wife, this film could not be successful. Galifianakis truly steps out of a supporting role and shows he can play an eccentric yet loveable guy who finds acceptance in a "wolf pack." Cooper took the spotlight and proved his potential to be a leading actor in movies he may do in the future. Lastly, Helms is verifying that The Office is not the only outlet his acting can be plugged into.
Overall, this film had the right mix of teams on the screen and behind the scenes that catapults it to comedic blockbusting potential. It will not leave you hung over the toilet in disgust, but leave you drunk with the happiness of winning thousands of dollars in Vegas.
First off, a salute to writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore whose quips uttered by all of the characters, like the bride's father Sid, played by Jeffrey Tambor, take the movie to a laugh-out-loud factor that is off the charts. Not only do they provide witty one-liners that will inevitably be quoted for the rest of the year, but they also gave the actors dialogue that is believable between the characters based on their relationships as buddies and a future brother-in-law that does not feel forced. If you have seen the film already and you laughed until your diaphragm begged for mercy, I encourage you to see it again in order to catch the lines that occur following many of the one-liners that are even funnier than the preceding line. This is something that is rarely achieved by film writers because the following lines can take the joke too far, but The Hangover writers have joined the ranks of Superbad in their ability to carry the joke just far enough.
Coming from a director that gave us Old School, Starsky and Hutch and Road Trip, Todd Phillips has proven he can take a variety of actors, whether it be Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Tom Green, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell or Luke Wilson, to deliver films that provide strong attachments to characters that feel real to the audience. He also has shown that the characters in his movies resonate with us all, and let us hope he continues this trend.
I tip my hat to the actors involved in The Hangover. Without the right mix of guys or stripper wife, this film could not be successful. Galifianakis truly steps out of a supporting role and shows he can play an eccentric yet loveable guy who finds acceptance in a "wolf pack." Cooper took the spotlight and proved his potential to be a leading actor in movies he may do in the future. Lastly, Helms is verifying that The Office is not the only outlet his acting can be plugged into.
Overall, this film had the right mix of teams on the screen and behind the scenes that catapults it to comedic blockbusting potential. It will not leave you hung over the toilet in disgust, but leave you drunk with the happiness of winning thousands of dollars in Vegas.
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