THE HANGOVER PART III

US, 2013, 97 minutes, Colour.
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galafiniakis, Justin Bartha, John Goodman, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham.
Directed by Todd Phillips.

Who would have thought that The Hangover would have become such a successful Hollywood franchise? This one is not as funny (a guilty pleasure) as the first film, which even won a Golden Globe as Best Comedy. This one is much better than the second one which was a raunchy repeat trying to rely on an exotic Asian atmosphere to make a difference. So, somewhere in between one and two! And there are not so many drinks around, until the final credits.

Zach Galifiniakis has always been a strong focus of the films even though he does not get top billing. But it is he, Alan, who tends to control, not always intentionally, what happens. The film opens with a dead animal’s joke (and there are more dead animals in the body count this time, chickens and dogs, that gangsters), a giraffe, which has the power to put off some audiences right from the start. But, allowing for the unreality (we hope) and absurdity, it leads us into the tantrums, blind consequences of Alan’s man-child attitudes and behaviour. He can be most irritating and, yet, often quite funny. Ed Helms, Stu the dentist, relies on timing rather than flamboyant comedy. Top-billed Bradley Cooper (who has been extending his on-screen range and getting award nominations for The Silver Linings Playbook) doesn’t deserve it. He is serious-faced a lot of the time, sometimes suggesting that he would rather be elsewhere, a spoilsport face that doesn’t communicate any humour.

Then there is Ken Jeong the mad Mr Chow, who obviously relishes the more screen time he gets and the more manic behaviour that is asked of him. John Goodman as a surly gangster is surly and cruel. The main plotline involves the trio trying to get stolen gold back from Mr Chow for the gangster while the other friend, Doug (Justin Bartha) is being held hostage.

There are some amusing moments and Melissa Mc Carthy (after funny turns in Bridesmaids, This is 40 and Identity Theft) has a more restrained funny cameo.

The American bloggers have decided against it – with a vengeance. The message may be that while you are on a good thing, stick to it (at least for box-office returns), but too many repeats is a risk and you can run out of steam, and puff.


1. The original film and its acclaim? Humour? The three friends? Drinking, escapades, the hangover?

2. The impact of the second film? Set in Asia? Repetition? Crass?

3. This film, funny, a better plot? More of a heist and consequences film?

4. The American cities, homes, get-togethers? Alan and his affluent home? To California, the city, highways, the desert? Las Vegas and its glitz?

5. Mr. Chow, Bangkok prison?

6. Alan, comic style, focus, driving, carefree, passes-by, the giraffe, the decapitation? His whims, a man-child? His family wealth? His parents, at home, silly behaviour, comments? His father, hard line? Alan’s interpretation, loving his father? The close-up of him talking, the background of his father’s collapse? The funeral, his behaviour at the funeral, comments? His friends present?

7. The friends, audience knowing them from the earlier films? The concern, the meal, the discussions, backing each other up? To take Alan to an institution? The agreement? Travelling, Alan changing his mind, the pursuit, the crash?

8. The gangster, harsh, his henchmen? The reason for the pursuit? Mr. Chow and his gold? The threats, the three having to find Chow? Taking Doug as hostage? The gangster’s attitude and his greed? The return to his house, Doug and his fear? The security guard, his previous attitude towards the three, his being shot?

9. Mr. Chow and his behaviour in jail, the riots, the guards, the escape? His gold? In Mexico and the US, the three tracking him down, the death of the cocks, the interactions, his leading them to the hiding place for the gold, locking them in, his escape? His going to Las Vegas? Turning gold to cash, the penthouse, the spree, behaviour?

10. The three friends as characters, their interactions, with Alan, the girl in the shop in Las Vegas? Alan and his attraction, the comic style, her mother? His return, the romance, the wedding?

11. In Las Vegas, the plan, getting the information, the penthouse, getting into the hotel, the ruses, on the roof, the sheets, Phil and his climbing down, Alan following, swinging, on the edge, saved? Mr. Chow and his skydiving escape? Stu following in the car, the reckless driving, crashes? Getting Chow, putting him in the boot? His talking with Alan?

12. The deadlines for the gangster, meeting him, the gun, shooting into the boot? Alan having freed Chow? The shootout, the death of the gangster?

13. Alan, returning to the shop, proposal, dressed for the wedding, the wedding ceremony? The aftermath? Stu and the breasts? Chow running naked? The end of this kind of comedy?