Step 1: Get ready for some seriously hilarious frat house humor and unabashed debauchery. And while I’m not saying you have to be hungover to appreciate The Hangover, having a wild night out before seeing this the next day might enhance the experience.
Step 2: Completely agree with The Hangover’s overlying theme: “Some guys just can’t handle Vegas.” Our four intrepid seekers of Sin in the City are certainly in no way prepared for the misadventures they encounter after what we can only assume is one of the most drunken bachelor party nights ever. In fact, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) wake up the next morning to a totally trashed hotel suite — without any memory of anything that happened the night before. On how a live tiger got into their bathroom. Or how a baby was left crying in the kitchen. Or most importantly, how the soon-to-be bridegroom, Doug (Justin Bartha), went MIA. They have to spend the next 48 hours trying to piece together exactly what happened so they can find Doug and get him to the chapel on time. And yes, the trailer shows many of the best parts – but it doesn’t show everything.
Step 3: Feel the guys’ pain. Oh man, when Helms’ Stu wakes up on the floor, blurry-eyed, missing a tooth, you can feel the headache, the dry mouth, the queasy stomach (but maybe not the tooth thing). The actors really make being hungover look authentic, but they also make it look like they had a blast making this comedy. Cooper – usually delegated as the second banana (Yes Man) or as the jerk (Wedding Crashers) – gets a nice chance to shine in this ensemble, looking cute and disheveled, while Helms (The Office) continues to perfect the henpecked boyfriend. But the guy who steals the show is stand-up comedian Galifianakis, as Doug’s soon-to-be brother-in-law Alan. He just keeps you guessing on what outrageous – or sweet – thing Alan will do or say next. A totally refreshing performance in what could have been over the top silliness. And just for an added bonus, check out his hysterical interviews on FunnyorDie.com:
Step 4: Watch out for Ken Jeong, the hilarious character actor who has been steadily popping up to break us up in comedies such as Role Models (he was the fantasy role playing king) and Knocked Up (he was the obnoxious obstetrician). In Hangover, he plays a mobster of some sort, a key piece to the puzzle – and quite naked and pissed off when we first meet him. Funny stuff.
Step 5: Remember Judd Apatow isn’t the only comic director out there. Oh no, The Hangover‘s helmer Todd Phillips has his own impressive resume from Road Trip to Old School to Starsky and Hutch. He forgoes any tender, touchy-feely messages and simply revels in balls-out raunchiness. We can certainly appreciate that.
Level of difficulty in watching The Hangover: As easy as saying “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”