‘Hilarious’ isn’t usually a word I’d associate with a hangover. Laughing, I assure you, is the last thing you’ll see me doing when experiencing the throbbing headache and god-awful queasiness that comes the morning after a big night out.  That said, ‘hilarious’ is by far the best word used to describe director Todd Phillips (Old School, Road Trip) latest lowbrow comedy The Hangover. Don’t be put off by its hackneyed bachelor party premise; this trip to Vegas  boasts a script that bleeds more humour than a clown with haemophilia.  Even at the peak of its vulgarity, which certainly sees the film make good use of its MA15+ rating, The Hangover is a  comedy binge-fest that you won’t regret in the morning.

As often as it’s tossed around, never has the saying “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” ringed as true as it does here.  For  three incredibly hung-over groomsmen, this is an easy one to abide by as not even they have the faintest idea as to what actually happened in Las Vegas the night prior. This wouldn’t have been a problem had whereabouts of their soon-to-be married best friend Doug (Justin Bartha) not also been a mystery, turning the question and premise of ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’ into ‘Dude, where’s Doug?’

What starts off as funny soon turns hysterical once the trio realise just how big their night before really was. Straight-laced dentist Stu (Ed Helm) discovers he’s missing a tooth and his Grandma’s Holocaust ring, whilst charismatic teacher Phil (Bradley Cooper) is awoken by the cry of a stranger’s baby bundled in their hotel room closet. Yet the best wakeup surprise is left for oddball brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), who discovers a very real tiger sleeping in the bathroom.  And what on earth is a chicken doing in the kitchen? It’s absolute mayhem from start to finish, flowing fluidly from one gag to the next without a wasted sentence.

The reason why The Hangover works so well is because it comes across as oddly genuine, despite the fact that is all so brazenly implausible. The way in which three leads respond to each wacky new scenario is convincing, if not simply because they are each brilliantly cast and characterised. Zach Galifianakis is a downright comedic freight train, his career in stand-up fuelling his show stealing performance as the loveable moron Alan. Bradley Cooper timing is impeccable and Ed Helm’s long toothless expression never gets old.  The same can’t be said for Ken Jeong’s overly exaggerated performance in support as a gay Chinese crime boss, which sees him stick out as a caricature in a film full of well crafted characters. Mike Tyson’s much talked about cameo more than makes up for Jeong, where he  punches away to the beat of Phil Collins’ ‘In the air tonight’.  Like the film on a whole, it’s simply knock-out stuff.

Verdict:

Director Todd Phillips gets the most out of a cracking cast and endlessly witty script, making this the best hangover you’re ever likely to ever experience.

Follow the author Anders Wotzke on Twitter.