The Hangover (2009)

Time to stop procrastinating: I guess the reason I've been putting off writing about this is that it was lightweight and I figured most people would have already seen it. So, just in case you have not, Todd Phillips, the writer/director of Old School (2003) has another Peter Pan project, i.e. a story about men who won't grow up. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Bradley Cooper (handsome pal to the lead in both Failure to Launch (2006) and Yes Man, and depraved actor in 6 episodes of the depraved FX-TV series Nip/Tuck) was the star, but I was glad that the talented Ed Helms (Andy on The Office, bit parts in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanemo Bay (2008), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), and Evan Almighty) had a lot to do as well, and glad that he got to sing a little (one of my favorite moments was season 3, episode 14, "The Return," when Andy recorded "Rockin' Robin" in 4 parts for his ringtone--I have looked but can't find a link for you). Four guys leave for a bachelor jaunt in Las Vegas, three wake up with no memory of what happened the night before, and things go downhill from there. It is very very funny, but definitely sophomoric; maybe even freshmanic. The Mr. Chow (played by Ken Jeong: soon to be in the Adam Sandler-Seth Rogen-Judd Apatow project Funny People later this year) running gag is particularly grade-school, but that's not really out of place here. With Heather Graham, playing, as usual, the baby-faced slut, and Mike Tyson as himself. Adjust your expectations and you will have a good time. You will not read the credits (even I didn't), but you won't leave, because, during most of them, there is a long series of amusing snapshots of "the night before." The Hangover 2 is already in development.