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Bookmark this pageThe Hangover (2009)
Director: Todd Phillips
Movie review
From Time Out London
Mainstream comedy has always been a staunchly phallocentric affair, but recent months have seen a shift away from the loveable-doofus antics of the Frat pack into altogether more worrying territory. Spearheaded by the UK’s own ‘Lesbian Vampire Killers’, 2009’s comic slate displays a disturbing attitude towards the fairer sex: sure, they’re nice to look at, but they’re also superfluous, and potentially even life-threatening.Todd Phillips’s previous big success, ‘Old School’, fell squarely in the frat camp, marrying ’80s-style debauchery with a broad streak of appealingly daft slapstick. ‘The Hangover’ retains the former but ditches the latter in favour of a series of loud, aggressive, increasingly unlikely set-piece gags. An intriguing, time-hopping set-up – a group of friends wake after a Vegas stag party and attempt to piece together the previous night’s activities – is wasted on obnoxious characters, celebrity cameos and crass attempts at humour.
It doesn’t help that the central cast is almost entirely forgettable, from the smug lounge lizardry of Bradley Cooper to the boisterous Jack Black-lite of Zach Galifianakis. A genuine star – Vaughn, Rudd, either Wilson brother – would have made these characters likeable, rather than simply pitiful and tiring. Ironically, the only memorable performance in the film – aside from a lumbering, if entirely appropriate, cameo from Mike Tyson – is given by Heather Graham as a hapless hooker. Her geisha-like docility, contrasted with a vicious, hectoring performance from Rachael Harris as a castrating girlfriend, sums up the film’s prehistoric attitude: women may be cute, but dudes don’t need the hassle.
Author: Tom Huddleston
Time Out London Issue 2025, June 11 - 17, 2009
User reviews of this film
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- Matt said...
- Posted on Jun 27 2009 08:43 This movie blew the roof off the theatre where I saw it. Ok, this is not exactly a sophisticated comedy but it is simply slapstick. Old School was ok, this movie is great.
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- Sutton said...
- Posted on Jun 26 2009 13:54 An amusing 'popcorn' movie, maybe a little crude for some, but there are a number of laugh out loud moments.
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- Sweetness said...
- Posted on Jun 24 2009 17:53 this movie gets 2.5 stars. The jokes are old, the supporting cast is awful, the lead actors are really solid although pointless. Worth watching for your own opinion because you'll definitely get a few laughs. The payoff in the end is as bad as the nude asian guys acting.
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- capn said...
- Posted on Jun 24 2009 13:44 CARTWHEELJON & jeremy need to grow a sense of humor. This film was LOL hilarious.
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- sammy said...
- Posted on Jun 24 2009 09:44 This is the best film ive seen in agers the guy with the beard was hillarious, ive not laughed through a film like this 4 a long time, Definatly worthj goin 2 see!If u dont enjoy this film u have no sense of humour!x
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- Jensen said...
- Posted on Jun 24 2009 06:50 Well this just goes to show you morales have disappeared from movie goers who think this kind of humor is funny. The same critics of American Pie would love this stupid cheaply made so called crappy movie.
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- Guy said...
- Posted on Jun 23 2009 19:12 This guy is an idiot, and probably never goes out to have a good time. I thought this movie was hilarious because of how it relates (maybe not to the same extreme) to the drunken adventures I've been in with my friends. If you do not laugh your a$$ off at the end of the movie during the pictures part (referring to one picture in particular and you will know when you see it) then you have no sense of humor, and have probably never had a good time in an elevator. Also Zach Galifianakis is a comedic genius.
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- John s said...
- Posted on Jun 23 2009 16:40 Wow, if you did not enjoy this movie I can honestly say you do not have a sense of humor. I haven't laughed this much in a long time. It is full of hilarious one liners that are fun to repeat to friends, loved ones, strangers and so on.
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- Jinny said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 19:34 Me jinny, me think film fuuuuuuuny!
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- krisztinn said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 18:09 the best movie i seen for a long long time!love it!
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- Rory said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 12:19 It is obvious that this film is not pretentious enough for some (those who pretend to like Bergman and Renoir) but I laughed out loud (a rare occurrence). how it got fewer syars than the boring Drag me to Hell I can't understand
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- V-man said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 02:54 Just because it doesnt have big actors doesnt make it a bad movie. I went and saw it with my girlfriend and everyone in the theater was cracking up through the whole movie. First movie in a while that i saw that when we left the theater everyone was still laughing.
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- CARTWHEELJON said...
- Posted on Jun 21 2009 10:35 Natalie - you need to see more films. This one is rubbish.
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- jon said...
- Posted on Jun 20 2009 23:14 great movie, literally a laugh a minute, take no notice of the wingers who did'nt like it, they must be brain dead
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- natalie said...
- Posted on Jun 20 2009 22:09 this film is well worth watching i laugh all the way through best film ive seen in a long time
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Now showing
This film is showing at these cinemas near Leicester Square, Greater London
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Cast & crew
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Sasha Barrese, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Mike Tyson, Mike Epps full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: 15
Duration: 100 mins
UK Release: Jun 12 2009
US Release: Jun 5 2009
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