I normally don't leave the comfort of my home for anything less than free booze or a film that involves robots or lasers in some way - Transformers 2's got my name all over it, as has the restraining order Shia LeBeouf made me sign, but I digress - so what tempted me to fork out a tenner (damn you, London prices) to see The Hangover? Was it Bradley Cooper's fine ass? Well, partly, yes, I've been rewatching Alias and I don't have a boyfriend. But more importantly, upon seeing the advert, I laughed, and it really is as simple as that.The story isn't difficult to grasp. Three friends, Phil, Stu and Alan (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis), join groom-to-be Doug (Doug Billings) for a stag do in the Mecca of all party-goers, Las Vegas. The Morning After sees three of the guys waking up with no memory of the epic night, and no sign of the groom. They set off to find their friend by travelling across Sin City working out exactly what they got up to.
It's a well known set-up, and if it weren't so well-executed, it would have been out on DVD sooner than you can say 'Underworld sequels'. Luckily, it happens to be a very tight, slick production.
The good mix of characters - the womaniser, the doormat and the weirdo - is a key part of the film's success, well-cast and well-played with the help a sharp script. Tag-along Alan's one liners are a highlight, constantly floating between hilariously creepy and strangely touching.
The film is geniuinely funny on a level that looks down on teen 'lol omfg he's ingesting semen/doing a fat chick/masturbating' comedies, but doesn't pretend to be high brow either. It feels like we haven't seen this precise level of comedy for ages, though it might just be me dismissing contenders due to lack of explosions.
One or two questions go unanswered, but the end is satisfying enough. Definitely a mates movie, you'll probably want to go out on the town straight after viewing. All in all, for a film without any robots or lasers, it's pretty good.
