The Hangover = The Most Overrated Movie Of All Time
by Matt
This movie has the "crown"
First, I must say that I finally saw The Hangover for the first time yesterday. I've heard SO much about the movie. People were touting this movie as the best comedy since Old School and some even claimed it's better. Movies like Anchorman, Wedding Crashers, and Happy Gilmore weren't even in The Hangover's league. I even heard one younger person describe The Hangover was better than Dumb & Dumber! Yes. Keep in mind this kid was 18, so that makes him like, what?... 5 years old when Dumb & Dumber was released. Maybe he was referring to the hit sequel. Now, I try not to over-hype things nowadays, so I avoided Hangover discussions and talk. I couldn't escape it, however, and even heard talk about it on WIP (sports radio). I really wanted to see it. If it was as good as people said, it would live up to the hype. At the same time, I didn't go out of my way to watch it. Yesterday, that changed.
The movie begins and initially introduces the main character's brother-in-law as the crazy wacky guy that's just going to say random things.... okay.... so he's like this movie's "Brick", but crazy. I saw where that was going a mile away. Suddenly, the movie flashed forward to the end of the bachelor party and we find out that they lost his car...errr no, I mean the groom. Wait, this SEEMS familiar. So essentially, the whole movie is a back story to the night as 4 guys celebrate the groom-to-be's final night of single hood. We see them get together, drive to Vegas, begin the night - BLACK OUT. We have no idea what happened next. We see them wake up, Doug is missing, a tiger in their room, a missing tooth, and a crying baby all have taken place. Doug's future father-in-law lends him his luxurious Benz for the trip and when the 3 remaining guys attempt to get their car from the parking garage in order to re-trace their steps, they are given an entirely different car by the valet.... a police cruiser. Wait, THIS sounds so familiar!
Hmmm
The rest of the movie is basically the 3 guys going back to places they visited throughout the night gathering clues to where their friend may be. They even bump into Mike Tyson, whose cameo has been much over-hyped and wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. I mean, you have Mike Tyson here. The possibilities are endless comedy-wise.
Wait, now there are dangerous, violent people after the guys?!?! Then it hit me..... this seems so strange ....and familiar:
Right! Exactly! From the opening moments, I knew that they were building up to something good and something has to happen... really funny... and it never truly did. Why? I couldn't get past the fact they RIPPED off a cheesy Ashton Kutcher movie. Now, Dude Where's My Car? is what it is: A major movie debut for Ashton Kutcher with the share of the lead and a horrible unrealistic stoner plot. Some could argue that it's a "good" horrible. It's so bad that some of it may be good. Regardless of what you think, you can't deny that Dude Where's My Car? came first.
The acting, overall quality, realism, story, and overall feel of The Hangover is superior to Dude Where's My Car? I really liked the funny character development with the 3 guys (we dont' get much of the missing groom-to-be) especially the whipped guy and the running joke about his girlfriend banging a waiter on cruise....or is it a bartender? The fact people are so quick to "crown" this movie is a joke. It had some funny parts, of course, more than the average comedy, yes, but to "crown" it is a little absurd.
"You want to crown them, go ahead and crown their asses," he said, his voice rising. "But they are exactly who we thought they are!"
Overall, good movie, just not the movie everyone thought it is. I think that one of two things happened here. One, people are just marks and never heard of, saw, or remember Dude Where's My Car? Two, people just didn't care and blatantly ignored the fact the movie was a rip-off and fell victim to the crazy Alan character besides the fact he was a crazier "Brick" from Anchorman. The Hangover is for a generation that will never get to live through first-run classic movies like Old School, Anchorman, dare I say Dumb & Dumber and give them a chance to memorize some quotes and think they are being funny. This is their claim to fame. Hey, goooooooooood for youuuuuuuuuuu, but it's not that great.
For your comparison:
Dumb & Dumber: * Too good to rank*
Old School: 5/5
Anchorman: 5/5
Wedding Crashers: 4.5/5
The Hangover: 3/5
Dude Where's My Car?: 2/5
Enjoy this article?
Delve Into Agnew’s Mind
Login the Old Fashined Way
Polls
Loading ...Recent Comments
- Kate Hallman on Jon and Agnew Show 2.1.12
- Jeff H on Jon and Agnew Show 11.30.11
- Ry on Jon and Agnew Show 10.16.11
- Erin Magarity on Jon and Agnew Show 10.16.11
- Erin Magarity on Jon and Agnew Show 10.16.11
February 16th, 2010 - 12:27
Excellent, and dead-on review.
For me, the movie started off hilarious. In fact, the first 40 minutes made me laugh out loud, a lot. But from the misuse of Tyson, to the actual body of the film, I would NEVER classify it with Dumb and Dumber or even Anchorman. And the fact that the brother-in-law dropped Rufies in all their drinks, really was not a creative way to explain the blackout.
Too much hype ABOUT the actual movie, and too much build up to the plot, IN the actual movie.
February 16th, 2010 - 12:32
AHHH I completely left that rufie part out! That was awful! It’s exactly what you would expect him to do. In fact I thought it to myself, “Wouldn’t it be funny if he drugged everyone or gave them liquid acid since he needed to be ‘watched?’” Predictable and a cop-out.
February 16th, 2010 - 14:20
I completely agree as well. This movie was over-hyped by the facebook population almost immediately. I did notice right off the bat that the main plot has been done before in other movies. But the trailer was so good I had to see it. I did like some of the jokes but there was one major flaw throughout the whole movie.
There was no serious person to compare this gang of funny guys to. When the cops came along they were as silly as anything. Not Funny. When the Asian guy (who ruins almost every movie he is in) shows up he is even goofier and ends up making our crazy “brick” character actually look normal in this crazy Las Vegas world.
This is why Dumb and Dumber will always reign supreme. They knew the funny equation and they used it. They didn’t exploit it or go too far for a laugh. It will never be touched and just to hear people bring it up when talking about this movie shows me just how dumberer everyone is becoming.
February 17th, 2010 - 11:05
Dumb and Dumber was the perfect comedy. The ONLY perfect comedy.
April 3rd, 2010 - 18:12
I came across your website, i think your blog is awsome, keep us posting.
June 26th, 2010 - 19:16
I liked the movie when I saw it at the theatre, and I rarely go these days due to not wanting to waste money on crappy films. I didnt feel disappointed with this one, but I was sort of in the same boat as far as calling it the greatest of all time etc…
However, the more I watch it, the more I like it and the more it moves up my list.
It has a lasting rewatchable quality that top movies on my list require.
No need to discuss rankings here, because people will not agree and will trash others’ favorites which is pointless.
Seems the crux of your summary was the fact it followed a template laid out by Dude…
Well, all I can add is that a rehashed idea is presented over and over and over and over in Hollywood. It’s just that some can do it better than others.
If one was forced to come up with a truly genuine idea for a movie, releases would be thinned out by the hundreds.
Also, if you looked hard enough, Id be willing to bet you could find a film to point to and say, you know, that’s like Dumb and Dumber.
October 10th, 2010 - 16:23
I like your blog theme. What template did you use ?
March 17th, 2011 - 10:49
I agree on your assessment of the movie. What I can’t agree on is you giving Old School and Anchorman each a 5. Old School is a 3.5: the first half is perfection while the second half of the movie is standard fare, predictable, and almost unwatchable.
And the ending of Anchorman is just cobbed together. 4 out of 5.