Hangover III

THE HANGOVER III
R
100 Minutes
Director: Todd Philpps
Writers: Todd Phillips, Craig Mazin, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis

CAST
Bradley Cooper … Phil
Ed Helms … Stu
Zach Galifianakis … Alan
Ken Jeong … Mr. Chow
John Goodman … Marshall
Melissa McCarthy…Cassie

Bart: How could you, Krusty? I’d never lend my name to an inferior product.
Krusty: Oh! They drove a dump truck full Of money up to my house. I’m not made of stone!- THE SIMPSONS, Episode 8F24

Be forewarned: This review has many spoilers. Although, I don’t know if spoil is the right word.  Can you  spoil an egg salad sandwich that’s been sitting inside a crawl space for two weeks?

The second film was so bad.  And like number two, all the laughs are in the first twenty minutes. I do like that this franchise is over. At least I hope so.  

Alan buys a giraffe. When he’s on the freeway, the animal gets decapitated. Creating  a major traffic pileup. His dad dies from all the stress.

Friends stage an intervention for Allen.  On the way to the treatment facility, Doug is kidnapped. Doug? Do you even remember what he looks like? I have no emotional attachment to this interchangeable, ‘White Doug’ character. Doug got married in the first HANGOVER, but he was largely unseen for most of that film.

Like those folks in CITY SLICKERS II.  John Goodman, and ‘Black Doug’ want their missing gold. And Mr Chow, that irritating guy from the first two movies, he has the gold.

The third instalment was better than the second HANGOVER. I’ll give them that. The three films don’t form a cohesive whole. .This was a BACK TO THE FUTURE-type trilogy, not a preplanned LORD OF THE RINGS one.

The film closes when Alan falls in love with Cassie, a pawn shop broker in Las Vagas. She is a character, as you might imagine. At this point, I thought, this movie was awful, but at least they’re leaving it off on a positive note. But right before the credits roll, Ed Helms walks out with a boob job.

HANGOVER III is a misleading title. Like with the show GOOD TIMES. There were no good times to be had on that TV program. I had a ‘good time’ laughing at their misery, but that’s beside the point.  But in this film, no one did any serious drinking, or made any bad decisions under the influence of alcohol. The characters were in real danger. But nobody had any fun in the process, and that’s where this movie fails, its lack of fun. Appropriately enough, I did enjoy it as much as a real hangover.

Final Verdict: 42 out of 100

Silver Lining's Playbook

SILVER LINING'S PLAYBOOK
R
122 Minutes
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: David O. Russell, Matthew Quick
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro

'She drives me crazy and I can't help myself.' - FINE YOUNG CANIBALS (1989)

CAST
Bradley Cooper--Pat
Jennifer Lawrence--Tiffany
Robert De Niro-- Pat Sr.
Jacki Weaver--Dolores
Chris Tucker--Danny

Patrick is a bi-polar man, who had a violent meltdown. After serving some time in the 'loony bin', he gets released to his mother. I meant 'psychiatric hospital' not 'loony bin'. However difficult it may be, he's trying to move on with his life, staying positive.

Tiffany is a much younger woman. Because her husband died tragically, she has her own mental health issues to deal with. To me, she seems a little young to have a dead husband. I'm not sure you stay married once the person dies. But I suppose, poetically speaking, love is eternal.

It's not obvious, at first, but Tiffany and Patrick will become 'crazy in love', to quote Beyoncé.

Bradley Cooper is trying hard not to be that guy that was in THE HANGOVER, especially after that last sequel. Delibrately, he's trying to appear more intellectual in his film roles. But his efforts haven't been in vain. I'm just now beginnig the process of starting to like him.

In case you were wondering, those photos of Jennifer Lawrence in a bikini aren't real. You should probably put away the Jergens and Kleenex. Jennifer Lawrence always looked as competent as the other big names in this picture. She has a long future ahead of her. Dare I say: people might still go to see her movies after she becomes old and unattractive.

It's funny, a toned-down Chris Tucker is still able to play a mentally ill patient. All kidding aside, I do like this version of Chris Tucker.

Robert De Niro, isn't essential to SILVER LINING'S PLAYBOOK. He plays Patrick's dad. An OCD, compulsive gambler, who loves the Eagles. This is where I might say the Eagles football team, for clarification. But it's unnecessary; sure, a few people can tolerate 'The Eagles' band, but no one loves them.

Is this good enough to be nominated for Best Picture?

Not likely, no movie comes close to DJANGO UNCHAINED. I'm not even sure SILVER LINING'S PLAYBOOK is as good as Ben Affleck's film ('good as Ben Affleck's film' that phrase does sound funny).

While I could always sense where the movie was going, I still wanted to finish it. When the credits roll, you feel good, that is, unless you wanted something more than a 'feel good movie'.

Final Verdict: 80 out of 100