Image copyright © by Marcus Trahan

The Hangover

(2009)

I laughed. (Whether or not you will laugh is something I can’t predict, so in line with my policy of never recommending a comedy, reporting only whether or not I laughed: I laughed. Quite a lot. And I hadn’t expected to laugh, which makes it even better.) The situations were hilarious, as three guys on a bachelor party spree in Vegas unwittingly take some roofies and the next morning can’t recall a thing about what they did the night before … but what is that tiger doing in their $4200/night villa at Caesar’s? Who is that naked Chinese guy in their trunk? Why is the dentist missing a tooth, and did he really get married to a call girl? And most important of all … where’s the groom? I liked these guys, most of the time. There are parts that will gross some people out, but what comedy these days doesn’t have a few gross moments? This one is pretty tame compared to some I’ve seen. And I have to admit that it gives me great pleasure in these days when the big names of movie comedy (think Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, and most terrible of all, Eddie Murphy) are turning out $100 million-dollar movies that are terrifically unfunny and/or commercial flops, to see a film with not a single big marquee name, that cost $35 million, return $200 million at the B.O, and counting. Lindsay Lohan turned this one down, didn’t think it had any commercial potential. Oops! My favorite line: “Remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Except herpes, that will follow you home.”