REVIEW - THE HANGOVER PART £

Traditionally hangovers aren't fun. They're a mixed bag of having your head down a toilet, begging your friend to get you a double meat Subway, or staring at Sky Sports News until you can recite every scrolling story by heart. All this was shoved out the window for the 2009 opening film, The Hangover, which saw audiences invited to join Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Alan's (Zach Galifianakanahushkis) wolfpack in searching for their best friend Doug (Justin Bartha - I know, who knew!?). After some hilarious gaffs, and some brilliant writing from Todd Phillips, the wolfpack returned for a second hangover in Bangkok two years later. Sadly, Hangover Part 2 felt precisely like a second successive hangover should feel: worse. With tired jokes and some ridiculous situations that did not carry the same curb appeal, the question was then: would the wolfpack survive their third hangover?

part 3 should be about the foetus stage by now

I often get stopped on the street and asked: "hey Bradley! We loved you in Silver Linings, when's Hangover Part 3 coming out?" To which I then have to awkwardly explain they have mistaken me for Hollywood's starlet, and not to feel embarrassed as it happens all the time. Completely true stories aside, another perfectly legitimate question is - why would Cooper and co. return to do another film when their respective careers are really taking off? The answer, as is frequently the case, was: $$$$$. Part 1 grossed something like 467,000,000; Part 2 bettered it by a cool 100 mil, therefore so much was expected of Part 3 for financiers and fans alike.

Lawrence Deakins                          Bradley Cooper

Clearly weary of a tired formula, Phillips altered the thrust of the narrative from jovial escapades to something more of a dark thriller. The wolfpack are on their way to a rehab clinic to seek professional help for Alan, but en route their car is ambushed by masked men who take them hostage. Nothing funny yet. The four are brought in front of Marshall (Don Fucking Goodman) and "Black Doug" (Black guy), where they are told they are in deep shit. Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) the loveable, little dicked Asian, has stolen $42 million worth of gold from Marshall and he wants it back. Coincidentally less than Phillips took from moviegoers for this film's opening weekend. ZING!

Joeng is actually a practicing doctor - no shit, look it up

Thus the locating section of the film begins. Find Chow or Doug (white, not black) gets it - and off Doug disappears again. With slightly more on the line than in previous escapades, the trio are forced into more extreme motives than before - robbing a house, abseiling from skyscrapers, and using their own drugs to name a few. The problem is that the jokes are sparse and predominantly expected. The stereotypical character traits are once again emphasised, and it falls on Alan to provide most of the comedy. There are a few moments that will have you chuckling - look out for the robbery scene in particular - but Part 3 seems to be somewhere in between a thriller and a comedy, without being either.

Heather Graham is only in the film for about 60 seconds ):

The trailer vastly oversells the film, too (as trailers are supposed to, I guess). The film is not set in Tijuana, nor is Heather Graham back, and there's about half a sequence set in a prison. Ultimately Part 3 is designed to get fans of the series in, bank their money and move on. And it does this whilst providing a few laughs and gaffs. Although there is one terrible anti-Semitic quip that had me stunned for a moment - just was NOT funny. I think Phillips and all those involved should probably get out of their comfort zone, shower, grab a bacon sandwich, and get on with their respective careers.

22/50 STATES