In the last few years, there seems to have been an endless stream of buddy comedies. There have been some mixed efforts without question - The Change-Up springs to mind - but thankfully leading the way is The Hangover. Todd Phillips' 2009 film, which became a surprise sensation at the box office and has gone on to spawn two inferior sequels, is a superb comedy, and although some - mainly critics - claimed it was too male-dominated, it's impossible to deny how funny it is. The movie sees three childhood friends in their 30s, played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha, head to Las Vegas for Doug's (the latter's character) bachelor party. Tagging along with them is Doug's childlike, unpredictable future brother-in-law Alan, played hilariously in a breakthrough role by Zach Galifianakis. Things predictably don't go to plan once they are in Vegas, and after an incredibly heavy night of partying, Doug is lost forcing the other three spend the weekend desperately trying to find their friend. What follows is a hilarious sequence of events, which includes a bizarrely comical turn from former boxer Mike Tyson. The lead performances are superb, and although Cooper and Galifianakis often get more praise because of their fame, Helms' uptight dentist Stu Price is understated but as side-splitting as anyone. It's not the most ingenious premise by any means, but then great comedies don't have to be.
