The Hangover
Posted by swannernjudd on June 5, 2009
Judd: I have a love/hate relationship with Summertime releases. Summer is when all the big action fluff that I usually hate comes out. It’s also the time that a slew of forgettable PG-13 comedies are released. But it’s also the time when one or two R rated, adult oriented comedies come out and that what gets me excited. The Hangover is the first of this summer’s Rated R contenders, and while it’s not a grand slam, it’s a pretty good opener for the season.
Swanner: I agree with you completely on this R rated comedy issue. It’s even gotten to the point where some big actors are catering to even younger audiences. Eddie Murphy, William H Macy and Adam Sandler are now making movie that are really geared but young kids and I think it’s kind of dangerous. I don’t want to see theatrical movies catering to a preteen crowd. I don’t want to see those movies. I want to see movies I can relate to that are funny and original. I really liked The Hangover. I liked the humor and I thought the script was new and fresh considering we’ve seen this storyline before.
Judd: The story is as old as the hills. A bunch of guys go to Vegas for a buddy’s last fling as a bachelor. They wake up in the morning and there’s a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, the groom-to-be is missing, and no one can remember what happened the night before. I was a little worried during the first 20 minutes because the movie gets off to a slow start, but after the characters are introduced and we get to the meat of the story, the movie moves at a fairly decent pace.
Swanner: It’s also very smart and I think that goes to the fact that they are appealing to adults. There is no dumbing down the story. These guys are in Vegas so there are strippers, drugs, gangsters, gambling and yes…even Mike Tyson. The story becomes a comedy mystery where they spend most of the movie trying to remember what happen to the Groom and where is he? They go from one insane situation to another and as crazy as it gets I never felt like the film looses it’s focus. Two years ago it was Knocked Up and last year it was Pineapple Express. All are adult comedies with strong scripts and acting.
Judd: I used to work with someone that didn’t understand why studios made rated R films. He said that R films relied on potty humor and foul language. I think that the situation is actually reversed. It’s the PG-13 films that rely on cheap fart jokes and their single allowed F-bomb. R rated movies speak to adults because they intended for adults. I loved all the insults slung at chubby bearded actor Zach Galifianakis. It’s funny because he’s fat.
Swanner: The movie does have a really good cast. They didn’t rely on big stars and I think that helped the movie. Since there really wasn’t a star, the focus was on the story…that’s smart. The cast does includes the very cute Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms (who actually had a tooth removed for the movie), Justin Bartha and the before mentioned fat guy Galifianakis. There is also a really good supporting cast as well. As Brian mentioned, it is rated R and that’s because it is a movie meant for adults. I think the movie will appeal mostly to guys but I think the women who get dragged along will have a good time cause it’s really a funny film.
Judd: I disagree that it’s a guy film. I know plenty of chicks that are looking forward to seeing The Hangover. They can’t stand the Massengill scented crap the studios try to target women with. They want to see real comedies with honestly funny scenes and great writing and no one falling down in glee/exhaustion after a pillow fight.
Swanner: Hey, I always fall back in glee and exhaustion after a big event has happened…how do you know about the pillow fight?
Judd: I haven’t said it in awhile, but you are a big fat girl. Anyway, I don’t think this a movie that girls will have to be “dragged to” and even if they are they’re going to enjoy it. The ability to take a familiar story and turn it into something fresh and new is quite a talent. And while Scott Moore and Jon Lucas also wrote Tom’s favorite, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, I won’t hold that against them and say that they are a writing duo to keep your eye on.
Swanner: That’s what I said. Girls will like this movie…it might not have an immediate appeal to women but they will come Ray … they will come.
Swanner: 3 1/2 Stars
Judd: 4 Stars
