When in Vegas...

My taste in movies is very sophisticated, so therefore I have been looking forward to The Hangover more than is respectable to admit. The Hangover tells the story of a Vegas bachelor party gone wrong where 4 guys get totally wasted, lose the groom the day before the wedding, and have to figure out what actually happened on their wild night that no one can remember...shocker. There are babies, tigers, Jagermeister, and strippers involved so obviously this movie is groundbreaking in its comedic stylings.

Truth be told though, it actually is surprisingly different than most other typical guy comedies. Though the situations that the characters experience are very over-the-top and outrageous, it somehow always feels realistic (well, somewhat) and never treads on slapstick territory. I attribute this to the casting choices in The Hangover which are far removed from the usual rotating group of Apatow/"Frat Pack" guys who would seem to be shoo-ins. With the predictable cast of Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Will Farrel, this movie would take an entirely different and in my opinion less effective vibe. Casting less recognizable actors and relative newcomers to the big screen like Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis brought a different and more subdued acting style to what could have been a very typical movie.

Not to mention the fact that Bradley Cooper brings a level of sexiness that Will Farrel couldn't dream of matching even with the best 70's stash. I highly doubt this was the desired effect of the director, but I just about died when B-Coops walked out in the black suit. I really need to tap that. And shirtless scenes are never a bad thing. If casting a ridiculously hot guy (again, a very atypical casting choice for this genre of film) and adding several subtle melt-worthy moments were actually a discrete plan to engage the female audience who were dragged to The Hangover with their boyfriends then cudos, producers, well played.

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Mix my Vegas/Bradley Cooper fetish in with the great one-liners and quirky scenarios that this movie brings and you have me in the palm of your hand. I think guys will agree too, but obvi for very different reasons. Overall, it's def a hit.