Is The Hangover 2 Just For Men? One Woman’s Perspective.
Think ‘The Hangover 2″ is strictly a guys movie? Our guest reviewer offers her take on how this ‘guy movie’ stacks up with the girls.
HANGOVER 2: JUST FOR MEN?
By Nikki Cove.
There are some that might assume that a guy-oriented film like The Hangover Part II won’t appeal to women. That it’s a guy’s flick and that females prefer softer, less lewd and more dramatic fare. Well that couldn’t be farther from the truth as was witnessed by the success of the recent Bridesmaids. Although The Hangover Part II falls short of the pure comedic genius of the original The Hangover (2009), it’s a film that both sexes can escape to for a few laughs.
The movie finds the core four, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) about to celebrate the nuptials of Stu and Lauren, played by Jamie Chung. Sorry boys and girls but Heather Graham didn’t make it to part two. As in the first, there are no strong female characters.
Yes, the first had Graham as Jade and Rachael Harris as the ball-crushing Melissa, but as is the case with the sequel; the female characters served no purpose other than to help move the story along and often times be the catalyst for crude jokes.
The second installment does no better at including women of substance. One such example is the semi-degrading, albeit funny scene where Alan barks at his m
other after she picks up his lunch plate in his room with, “I guess we don’t do dessert anymore.” Stu’s new fiance Lauren and Doug’s now wife, Tracy played by Sasha Barrese offer little to the story as well.
But let’s be honest, if what you were looking for was some sort of feminist manifesto, my guess is that you wouldn’t have selected this film in the first place. If what you want is to laugh while suspending all belief in reality for any of the movie’s shenanigans to actually occur without the loss of life or someone winding up in jail, then this is your movie.
What anyone, male or female can relate to is how this “wolf pack” continually manages to get itself into trouble while trying to figure out the wrongs of the prior evening and making it to Stu’s wedding on time. We’ve all had “those” moments of which we hope no photos exist.
The story in the sequel is not as seamless and it certainly doesn’t flow as smoothly. However, what any viewer will love is Zach Galifianakis’ portrayal of Alan. Although, he’s given a few awkward lines that feel forced, it’s his performance that holds together and maintains the comedy of the film. Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper certainly have their good moments as well. And of course Mr. Chow, once again played by Ken Cheong gives us some of the movie’s funniest moments until an untimely incident that catches everyone off guard. The one other good element that needs mentioning is how director Todd Phillips made the exotic location work for the film versus the effort of the seminal “chick flick” Sex & the City 2 (2010).
So you’ve got pretty scenery, wild times, a plot and more than a few laughs. I think any viewer male or female can appreciate that.