Thursday, June 2, 2011

Movies: The Hangover 2


The Hangover 2 will appeal to anyone who's got hazy memories of Thailand, that dirt-cheap Mecca for the first time traveller and the red-faced sleaze. There’s something for everyone, and then some.

We open at a resort in the tropical idyll of the country’s south. This time it’s Stu (Ed Helms) who’s getting married, albeit with a hitch. Following another literally mind-blowing night out—featuring the shameless Mr. Chow from the original—Stu and the boys (Bradley Cooper and Zack Galifianakis) come to. This is no paradise. This is Bangkok, and the boys are down one man—the bride-to-be’s younger brother.

What follows is a messy and tasteless tumble around the slums and peaks of Asia’s red-light capital. Almost every sleaze ‘to-do’ is covered, easily filling the films gross out quotient. Alan (Galifianakis) gains enlightenment via a booze hungry octogenarian monk, although most of those scenes fall flat. 


Director Todd Philips is best at buddy-buddy relationships. The quiet scenes between the men are nicely played; walking the fine line between comedic and genuine. The formula may wear thin, but the change of scene is enough to save it. So go and re-live your own blurry Bangkok memories, Hangover style.

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