BEFORE: A little something for everyone who partied too hard last night - some of whom were walking down my block at 4 am...and "WHOOO!!" to you too, people. This is the film from the last year or two with the biggest buzz, and the most glaring omission from my viewing schedule so far, except maybe for "Avatar".
THE 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.
AFTER: It's a shame I waited so long to see this, because it was so popular and I've already read so much about it, and seen so many clips, that viewing it is almost an afterthought.
When I was a kid, I loved the movie "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" - not just because it starred every 1970's comedian under the sun, but because I hadn't yet learned to hate slapstick comedy. (I enjoyed the Stooges and Abbott & Costello too, but never really glommed on to the Marx Brothers) It's a comedy about people racing across the desert to claim a dead man's fortune, and along the way they lie, cheat, steal and blow things up, doing whatever it takes to get there first - putting the "mad" into "madcap".
When I think about a film like that, I realize that "The Hangover" cheated. There, I said it - by showing us only the day AFTER the crazy bachelor party in Vegas, with three men who don't remember what happened, we're left to imagine the craziest night we can, and our mind races to fill in the gaps (how DID the chicken get in the hotel room?). The filmmakers know they're facing an uphill battle - there's no montage of crazy behavior that can possibly match what's in each audience member's imagination - not without getting an "X" rating, anyway. Plus each person probably brings something different and uniquely wild to the table, anyway.
I've got some other nitpick points, but I can't really get into them without spoiling the ending - though I felt that a lot of the comedy was kind of forced, like the whole movie was trying just a bit too hard. They could have done a lot more by doing a little less, I think. I wonder how the Vegas tourism board feels about this film - considering their "What Happens in Vegas" campaign. Do they feel this went a bit too far, showing a lot of crazy behavior that they actually DON'T want to encourage?
While there is a somewhat redeeming message of friendship, with a "Leave no man behind" attitude, I can't really call that a heartwarming sentiment. Real friends probably wouldn't let friends get so out of control, right? Reminds me of the saying, "Friends will bail you out of jail, but true friends will be sitting next to you in the cell saying 'That was fun!'" but I think there really should be some limits on what constitutes fun. My first bachelor party was a night of bowling, and the second time around, I didn't even have one. Call me an old fogey, but I've never had a wild night that I didn't remember. I do like my beer, but I always find my way home after a beerfest without getting into further trouble.
Starring Bradley Cooper (last seen in "Yes Man"), Ed Helms (last seen in "Meet Dave"), Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha (last seen in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"), Heather Graham, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor (last seen in "Superhero Movie"), Ken Jeong (Senor Chang from NBC's "Community"), with cameos from "Daily Show" veterans Rob Riggle and Rachael Harris, comedians Bryan Callen and Matt Walsh, and Dan Finnerty (the guy who sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in "Old School", good to see him again).
RATING: 6 out of 10 security cameras
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