Anyone who’s ever had a hangover knows that they’re not a lot of fun.
But the genius of the movie “The Hangover” is that it makes having a hangover look like a wild and life-changing adventure.
When Stu, Phil and Alan groggily awaken after a wild bachelor party, they’re surprised to discover that their palatial Las Vegas suite is occupied by, among other things, a tiger, a chicken and a baby. How did this stuff get here? They have no idea. Stu is missing a tooth. How did this happen? He doesn’t know. Also, where’s their buddy, Doug? He’s supposed to be married in two days. They’ve got to find him. The valet brings them a police car. How did they come to possess a police cruiser? And what’s with the yellow band on Phil’s wrist? Did someone go to the hospital last night? Why?
These small mysteries drive “The Hangover,” an off-color, anarchic comedy from Todd Phillips, the guy who brought the world such unexpected delights as “Road Trip” and “Old School.” Those two films were way better than I expected. “Road Trip” concerned a group of guys traveling across country to intercept a sex tape before it lands in the possession of one of the guys’ girlfriends, and “Old School” concerned three guys in their 30s, led by Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell, who decide to form a fraternity. In both of the films, and now “The Hangover,” Phillips displays a knack for taking standard, even stupid plots and filling them with zany, absurdist details, clever dialogue and interesting characters. And in each movie, he’s ably assisted by a superb cast.
“The Hangover” stars three actors who aren’t exactly household names (and features Heather Graham in a small but winning role): Bradley Cooper, the unlikable sadist in “The Wedding Crashers,” plays Phil, Ed Helms, from “The Office,” is Stu and Zach Galifianakis, a stand-up comedian previously unknown to me but who might very well be the second coming of John Belushi, as Alan. They display surprising range in roles that don’t necessarily require it, and the nuance and quirks they bring to their performances elevate the film. They’re quite believable as old friends who have grown up a bit, but nevertheless find themselves on the roof of their hotel doing shots of Jagermeister (“It’s just like college,” one character observes) and discussing whether or not counting cards is illegal. (“It’s not illegal,” Alan says. “It’s just frowned upon, like masturbating on an airplane.”) Galifianakis deserves special mention. I mean, who is this guy? He could have delivered a one-note, tiresome performance — imagine Jack Black in the role — but instead manages to be creepy, sweet, disturbing and likable. He has some of the film’s funniest moments.
“The Hangover” loses its momentum in its final third. I, for one, could have done without the subplot involving SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS FILM! a scary Asian gang. I’m sure some people thought the tiny, effeminate Asian gang leader who kidnaps Doug and holds him for ransom was totally hilarious, but this is the second film comedy I’ve seen (the first being “Pineapple Express”) where an Asian gang is brought in for laughs, and it made me a little uncomfortable. In “The Hangover,” the Asian gang members are fairly offensive caricatures, and although this sort of movie is supposed to offend, it seemed unnecessary. Phillips obviously enjoys using minority characters to wring laughs out of his mostly white audiences — I was reminded of the scene in “Road Trip” where the protagonists visit a black fraternity — but at this point it feels stale and unintelligent. And since most of “The Hangover” is actually pretty smart, it undermines the movie.
“Mommy XXX”
I kind of sort of hate reality TV (Jon and Kate — who cares?) but I’ve taken an interest in “Mommy XXX,” an online reality show about the day-to-day life of porn star Demi Delia (no, I’d never heard of her until last week) because it’s co-directed by a friend of mine.
The show premiered last week on Sony’s Crackle.com and sites such as Hulu and YouTube, but Sony Networks is pitching it to TV stations and cable, so it could one day make its debut on the small screen. Considering its subject matter, the show is actually tastefully done, with thoughtful sit-down interviews with Demi, her friends from the adult film world and her two teenage children, who seem fairly level-headed, considering their unusual upbringing. The show itself isn’t pornographic, but it deals with the porn business and lifestyle candidly. (The first episode concerns Demi’s trip to the surgeon for breast implants — her 11th such procedure, according to the show.)
The mainstreaming of pornography is a very real trend, and “Mommy XXX” seeks to capitalize on that. But the show is unusual in that it confronts it subject matter head on, rather than in a snickering, immature sort of way. A recent online advertisement for Bud Light, in which a guy tries to buy a six pack and pornographic magazine, sparked commentary about whether pornography is no longer seen as transgressive and has truly entered the mainstream. (Time Magazine wrote about this advertisement here.)
“Mommy XXX” is less like a beer ad (or Judd Apatow movie) and more like a documentary. Even so, I’m interested to see whether future episodes portray or discuss the darker elements of the adult film business, such as a recent HIV outbreak, or maintain the show’s somewhat cutesy porn-star-in-suburbia focus.
Got a comment? Add one below or e-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.
