Nog Experiences the Hangover!

The Hangover is a bit overrated, probably because everyone was needing a laugh after several weeks of action flicks and the film, in its defense, provides quite a lot of them. Whereas the Apatow bromances seek a modicum of three-dimensionality in their characters (and I suspect Apatow will push this character development much further in Funny People, probably resulting in lesser box-office), Todd Phillips' comedies--Road Trip, Old School, and now The Hangover--want nothing but to make you laugh. And there's nothing wrong with that. IF you are laughing. Consistently. And I was only laughing part of the time (although if I'd seen it with a full house and after a few beers, I'm sure I'd have laughed harder). The reason to see the flick is Zach Galafianakis, who has a medium-sized cult following through the Comedians of Comedy tour and more recent associations with Will Ferrell. It's an absolute breakout role, perfectly performed (Ebert compares it to seeing Belushi on the loose in Animal House and knowing you're seeing a star in the making...we'll see if it pans out). But without him, you wouldn't be left with much. Ed Helms gets some funny lines but it's a one-joke role (a pussywhipped doctor who becomes a foul-mouthed party animal as soon as he breaks free for a weekend). And Bradley Cooper, I guess, is on hand to be the handsome one. For me, he's largely a non-presence. Still, I'll give it a "summertime recommendation" on the grounds that it WILL make you laugh (although not as much as the trailer for Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans).