Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hour 40 mins
Warner Brothers
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
In this third and mostly likely last “Hangover” installment, the Wolfpack brings back the brilliant, priceless and overwhelming hilarity that made the first film such a success!
After the death of Alan’s (Galifianakis) father (Jeffrey Tambor) and following 4 years of the Wolfpack befriending Alan and seeing his crazy, crazy ways, Alan’s friends and family stage an intervention, hoping to help Alan cease being a 42 year old child. He agrees, but on one condition… Phil (Cooper), Stew (Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha) must take him on the short 2 hour drive to his new treatment facility. It’s only a 2 hour drive…what could go wrong?
A short while into their drive they are ambushed by a gangster (John Goodman) who tells them that their friend Mr. Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) has stolen $21 Million worth of his gold and he is taking Doug hostage until they find their “friend” and his gold.
There are no black out hangovers or bachelor parties in this movie. There are no tigers or face tattoos either. This movie is a comparable film to the first “Hangover” but not in the same way as #2. They do not use any of the same jokes; it is not the same film set in a different country. The jokes are fresh, the timing perfect and I found myself being completely surprised and caught off guard just like the original “Hangover.”
Since this movie ends the trilogy, the many unsolved problems from the original are all wrapped up in this film. You didn’t think you could actually black out, end up in a hospital, steal money from a Chinese gangster, marry a hooker, steal a tiger and in the next 48 hours have the whole thing blow over did you?
“Hangover 3” uses the same recipe for success as many Todd Phillips films have done before. He allows the comedians to use comedy. They are not just speaking lines they are acting as comedians. Back from the first film are Mike Epps, Heather Graham and baby Carlos. New to the series are Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and new antagonist John Goodman (who I think should be in every movie). Those two plus an abundance of Ken Jeong scenes makes this movie a must see! I usually reserve my $10+ for a movie ticket for something that I can’t get at my own house: lots of 3D action or an overwhelmingly visual film, but I would pay to see this movie again and I advise you to do the same.
The original “Hangover” was something that audiences hadn’t been subjected too in a comedy for quite some time, causing outbursts of laughing fits in the theater to where you couldn’t always here the next line being spoken. There were times I just couldn’t believe what I just saw or what just took place. This movie has THAT. This is an original movie that could have been called “Hangover 2” and we could have just skipped the 2nd one all together.
This is a movie that you need to enjoy with many people. Friends or strangers, the more the merrier. I shared many a good laugh and exchanged looks with a man that looked like Santa Claus sitting next to me. I even had to give him a drink of my Coke after he started choking while laughing.