By: Laurie Coker
Rating: F
Notably, as my male critic friends pointed out at the screening, I am NOT the target demographic for the new Hangover film, starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Ken Jeong, reprising their roles and proving some men never learn. I went in whining from the start, convinced the film would totally gross me out and was made fun of for even being there. But my guest, who really LOVED the first two, lord help me, wanted to see the third. While director Todd Phillips reins in the nasty for this installment, I found the film dull, ridiculous and sadly, worse than I expected.
I feel no need to add a synopsis to this review, because I will be brief in this overall critique. I expected, going in, that I would loath Hangover Part III, as I felt total disdain and disgust for the second in the trilogy. Honestly, those descriptors are far too harsh for a film that truly didn’t warrant my time in the first place. The foursome from the original return, only to lose Doug (Justin Bartha) again, taken hostage by Marshall (John Goodman), a man bent on bringing Chow (Jeong) to his knees for stealing millions in stolen gold.
In addition to the unusual antics, of Alan (Galifianakis), which I find so annoying and idiotic that I plug my ears, Part III gives us Cassie (Melissa McCarthy) as a pawnshop owner and new love interest to Alan and thankfully, McCarthy gives a toned down version of her usual filth-mouth characters. And perhaps therein lies one of Phillips pivotal mistakes. While I hate this genre of film, fans go to be grossed out, freaked out and generally shocked by the characters behavior and Hangover Part III is far too tame. Even Joeng’s Chow is terrifically toned down. He still goes far over the top, but not nearly as freakishly as in the second film.
I stayed in my seat for one reason and only one reason – to gaze upon the beauty that is Bradley Cooper – oh those eyes, so I don’t really want to waste too much of my time on Hangover Part III, at least no more than the two hours wasted sitting in the screening. It will disappoint fans of the previous two. Of note – I actually liked the first. This one is as intolerable as the second, not because it surpasses the first in all out grossness, but because it is plain BORING more than anything else. My guest laughed no more than three times and the guy next to me put his head in his hands on multiple occasions – they are the target audience. I am placing an F in my grade book.