What Do The Critics Say?

"If you laughed at the first you will most assuredly laugh at "The Hangover Part II." I enjoy these characters and I enjoy watching them get smacked around to the point I'm willing to forgive a stunning lack of originality. Bangkok on the other hand has no safety net while testing the limits of human depravity. The misadventures of the Wolf Pack this time around are not for the faint of heart." Mathew DeKinder ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH "Takes the original's premise and pushes the comedy further: a lot further. Once again, less probably, the journey is hilarious. Despite its slavish fidelity to the structure of its predecessor, Phillips's sequel manages to take each plot twist and twist it further. It's a testament to the strength of that model, though, that despite its derivative nature and other shortcomings, The Hangover Part II is brutally funny. Again." Christopher Orr ATLANTIC "I don’t think it was better then the first but it did a great job at being just as good. The first one had magic to it that can’t be upstaged. There was a wide variety of shock factors that have you amazed that they pushed it that far. By miles the funniest film I have seen this year. Another superb job by Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis who still prove to have that great chemistry. Not to be missed." Jolene Mendez ENTERTAINMENT SPECTRUM

"I am not going to deny The Hangover Part II follows the same blueprint as the first film, but, to be honest, it didn't bother me one bit. The reason? I was too busy laughing to care. it also still concludes with the same uproarious montage of photos that chronicles the events that occurred while the group was black out inebriated. But the most important similarity of all, the one that really matters the most, is "The Hangover Part II" is still spit out your soda, fall out of your seat funny." Adam Tobias WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES "The saving grace is that we really like these guys. We like hanging with them, and we sympathize with their cloudy brains. Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis share a natural chemistry that saves the shakier moments. Galifianakis revels in the role, bringing all of his stand-up weirdness and deadpan, dead-stare timing to the screen. Invites us deeper into the life of Alan and the series desperately needs him. Clint O'Connor CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER "It happens again. They make no bones about it happens again. And you would expect it to happen again. If you have no idea about what I'm saying, it happens again, you shouldn't be seeing this film. "The Hangover" was like a perfect sick comedy. I was afraid of the sequel. We should be afraid of sequels. Is it as good as the first film? No, but it's close. Is more fun than it has any business being." Widgett Walls NEEDCOFFE

The Inside Story In the summer of 2009, Todd Phillip's "The Hangover" became a record-breaking hit, surpassing all expectations, including those of the filmmakers. "We set out to make a funny movie, but you never know until you start showing it to people. Once we began screening it, we realized it was something special. But we were really surprised when it just took off," Phillips, who directed and co-wrote "The Hangover Part II." Dan Goldberg (who served as a producer on "The Hangover", returns as a producer on the sequel, marking his sixth collaboration with Phillips) recalls, "We knew we had a movie that made people laugh, but no one could have predicted "The Hangover" would become this incredible phenomenon, least of all us. And then it kept building, which was amazing and so gratifying." "There was some kind of lightning in a bottle that the first film captured," Ed Helms observed. Helms return as Dr Stuart Price, only this time he is the groom. "We found it to be hilarious, but you can‘t be sure until a movie is out there if it‘s going to resonate with anybody else. Thankfully, it did." "I know my movies primarily attract a certain audience because of the outrageousness of the comedy, but "The Hangover" connected across the board. I think that‘s largely because of the love between the four guys. Their friendship feels authentic; it‘s just this magic combination," Phillips notes. That on-screen friendship is a reflection of the off-screen camaraderie of the cast, filmmakers and crew, which only added to the appeal of continuing the story for all involved. However, they knew that if the characters went down the rabbit hole of bad decisions once more, it would have to be an adventure worthy: in both scope and absurdity; of the first film. "There was some caution because, after the success of "The Hangover", you might think if the guys just walked off into the sunset, that would be fine," says Zach Galifianakis ("Due Date"), who again plays Alan, the instigator. "For me, the bottom line is we all enjoy working together and, on a movie like this, it‘s especially good to team up with people that you both like and trust." Making "The Hangover Part II" would provided a milestone for Director Todd Phillips ("Road Trip"). "This is the first time I‘ve worked with the same actors playing the same roles. It added to the comfort level and gave us a natural shorthand." The starting point from Phillip's perspective was finding a city that would be a catastrophically bad idea for the guys. There was only one place that really fit the bill: Bangkok."I think comedy is always best when it feels a little bit dangerous, like it can go into unexpected places," Phillips says. "Once we decided on Bangkok, that pretty much defined the movie. It just sounds like trouble, especially for our guys." "We knew we had to adhere to certain tenets of the movie," says Bradley Cooper ("Limitless"), who once again plays Phil, the de facto leader of the group. "We wanted aspects we loved from the first film to be in this one, but in a fresh, totally new context. Todd's idea to set it in Bangkok upped the ante completely. We had a huge car chase, motorcycles, riots, shootings. There's a lot of action in this movie." Being in a vibrant, vital foreign city with an infamous wild side also raises the comic stakes for three American men untethered from everything they know. "When you go to battle with Vegas, everyone speaks English, you can get where you need to go, you can use a phone and call someone," screenwriter Scot Armstrong notes. "But in Bangkok, you‘re navigating a place that‘s totally unfamiliar. You have no straws to grab on to." "Thailand itself was a huge canvas," adds screenwriter Craig Mazin ("Scary Movie 3 & 4"). "Bangkok opened up so many possibilities for us to have these characters get totally out of control and then deal with the next day regret." Though Armstrong and Mazin hadn‘t worked on "The Hangover", they both felt they already knew the characters, having been huge fans of the first movie. "I don‘t think I‘ve laughed harder than brainstorming in Alan‘s voice or Stu‘s voice or Phil‘s voice," says Armstrong ("Semi-Pro"). "I felt like I could put those three in any situation in the world, even shopping at the grocery store or waiting for food at the drive-through and I knew what they would say." Their first true litmus test of the script was the response of the actors themselves. "To crack them up with new ideas or lines of dialogue is a big deal," Mazin (who co-wrote "Old School" with Armstrong) remarked. "And Todd‘s attitude is that that the writing never stops, whether it‘s by us or them, because any one of these guys can ad-lib a line that just destroys." "The first movie has become such a part of popular culture, but I think if anyone can top it, it‘s Todd Phillips, and he has," says Justin Bartha, who reprises his role as Doug. "Even just reading the script made us laugh so hard, because it just takes these guys so much farther over the edge." "What makes "The Hangover" films is how far we go after the fact," Phillips says. "The punch line isn‘t "The Hangover"; it‘s the distance we travel after the punch line that makes these movies what they are." The sequel unfolds two years after the incidents in Vegas. "We catch up with the guys to find that everybody‘s life has progressed. Well, almost everyone," Phillips revealed. "Alan is still living at home with his parents. But Doug and Tracy are happily married and expecting; Phil has had another kid; and Stu has met a wonderful girl and is engaged to be married. Her parents are from Thailand, so that‘s where they‘ve decided to hold the wedding." Given his history with certain pre-wedding customs, Stu has set one specific limitation on his friends, as 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award winner Helms ("The Office") notes. "Stu, being understandably a little gun-shy from his experience in Vegas, wants no part of traditional bachelor party. He‘s so close to getting everything he wanted in life and is desperate not to screw it up." With so much baggage going into his wedding, Stu wants to make sure he does nothing to jeopardize his already tenuous relationship with his future in-laws, Joi and Fohn (played by popular Thai actors Penpak Sirikul and Nirut Sirichanya, respectively), so he's left one conspicuous name off the guest list. "What happened in Vegas happened, but Stu didn‘t come away feeling that Alan was his lifelong friend, like Phil and Doug," 2010 ShoWest Director of the Year Award winner Phillips explained. "Alan, however, has his own delusions about how tight they all are, so when Alan gets wind of the wedding, he is very upset that he wasn‘t invited." A self-described 'stay-at-home son', Galifianakis's Alan embodies what Phillips finds funny in male relationships. The dynamic between Phil and Alan that evolved in the first film is further explored in this one. "I think that‘s my favorite part about this movie, because their relationship becomes really rich," says Cooper (who played Peter in "Yes Man"). "In the first one, Zach and I improvised a lot of that, not always knowing if it would even play. But in this one, it‘s built in already and we can take it even further. It‘s like making a movie with your brothers. No one has to think too hard about the process; you just go with it. Our only real objective is that people will laugh their asses off." Arriving in Thailand, Stu is reunited with his bride to be, Lauren, who is marrying Stu despite her father‘s objections. "Fohn despises Stu because he sees Stu as a milquetoast-y, spineless nerd: which is half-true but not altogether fair," Helms protests. "Lauren thinks Stu is so adorable, she couldn‘t help but fall in love with him. It doesn‘t matter that her father doesn‘t approve. She is a woman with a mind of her own. She has always done what she wanted to do," says Jamie Chung ("Sucker Punch"), and she wants to marry Stu." In Fohn‘s eyes, Stu also suffers by comparison to Lauren's gifted, little brother, Teddy. To play Teddy, Phillips chose newcomer Mason Lee, who makes his official feature film debut. "Teddy was a challenge to cast because you want him to have chemistry with the established characters, and Mason seemed to fit right in," Phillips said. Still in college himself, Lee says his first thought was that he would get to hang out with guys who were legendary at his school. "I was very excited, but I was also nervous that I would laugh during all my scenes. It turned out I wasn‘t the only one, so it was okay. It was quite an experience." In Thailand, Phil hasn‘t given up on some form of a bachelor party and proposes they have one nightcap before Stu ties the knot. "It‘s a simple story about regular guys looking to have a good time," Galifianakis ("Dinner For Schmucks") says, noting, "well, not looking to have a good time, just trying to not repeat the same mistakes. But then something happens. A mistake. A very bad mistake. And that is the last memory they have until they wake up the next morning." But not in luxury surrounding, but a sleazy Bangkok hotel. Alan‘s head is now shaved; Stu has a raw, fresh tattoo; Phil has a cracking hangover and there‘s a capuchin monkey in the bathroom. This interloper is played by animal actor Crystal, whose resume rivals any of her human co-stars, including a film called "Failure to Launch", in which Cooper played the character Demo. Owned by Birds and Animals Unlimited, Crystal's trainer, Tom Gunderson, says "It was a big challenge training Crystal to perform some of the intricate behaviors she had to learn, especially with all the distractions in some of the scenes." "Crystal was a dream," Phillips declared. "Between takes, I would put my finger out and she would hold on to it like a little kid does. I just fell in love with her; we all got very attached to her." Like all true stars, Crystal had an understudy: another capuchin named, Squirt. But, there‘s also another 'guest' in the room: Mr. Chow, whose reveal is just as startling as it was in the first film. And for those who may not know, here's another startling revelation: both Ken Jeong and his wife Tran are licensed Doctors and, proud parents of real twins, Alexa and Zooey. "Ken was such a big part of "The Hangover". He became a favorite of fans, and I couldn‘t imagine this movie without him," says Phillips (who recommended Jeong to "Transformers Dark Of The Moon" director Michael Bay). "I think Chow is more of a bon vivant this time around," says Jeong. "In the first movie, he was angry a lot, but in this movie, he‘s really in his element. I was talking to Todd about this, and our theory is he loves to laugh. His sense of humor kind of softens his psychotic killer edge, and that‘s his saving grace." So how did it feel to go from comedy to an action SciFi and what role did Bay have in mind for you? "I play a co-worker of Shia LaBeouf and it was one of the greatest moments of my career because I saw how the big boys do it. This is sci-fi, this is action, this is fantasy, this is Steven Spielberg producing, and all my scenes were with Shia." Finally, because I know you're all dying to know: yes! the 'holiday snaps' are once again featured during the closing credits revealing the shocking truth of the guys missing night. What's It All About?

Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. With the memory of Doug's nearly disastrous bachelor party in Las Vegas still fresh (or at least well-documented), Stu is taking no chances. He has opted for a safe, subdued, pre-wedding trip brunch, with pancakes, coffee, and definitley no alcohol. However, things don‘t always go as planned. Two nights before the big day, at a fabulous resort in Thailand, Stu relents. The guys and Stu's bride to be Lauren's sixteen year old brother Teddy will meet on the beach. By a fire. One beer each. In sealed bottles. What could go wrong? Everything it appears. The next morning they wake up in a dishevelled Bangkock hotel room, with a monkey no less. Oh no! It's not happenning again, is it? Teddy's missing. No-one can remember a thing. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can‘t even be imagined.

The Verdict "It would be a hard ask of any sequel that it could emulate all the hype and passion of it's predecessor, after all, we all have experienced 'the big let-down', haven't we? And while "The Hangover Part II" is, in the real sense, a sequel, it is in some ways, miles removed from the original. The first was set in Las Vegas. The sequel is set in Bangkok. Both feature a wedding. In "The Hangover" the groom went missing. Not so in the sequel. Las Vegas is glitter, glamour and gambling. Bangkok for many, is 'sleaze', pollution and squalor. The first film featured a chicken, a tiger and a baby. The sequel features a monkey. Locating this second tale of a 'night gone missing' in Bangkok ensures the comedic moments are more extreme. Like the original it provides massive laughs and, the signature drama as one of the group going missing. Is it as good as "The Hangover"? Nearly! Is it as entertaining? Nearly! And that's a reasonable assessment. Crazy, wacky fun. 4 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Bradley Cooper Ed Helms Zach Galifianakis Justin Bartha Ken Jeong Paul Giamatti Mike Tyson Jeffrey Tambor Mason Lee Jamie Chung Sasha Barrese Gillian Vigman Nirut Sirichanya Yasmin Lee Nick Cassavetes Sondra Currie Tanner Maguire William A Johnson Aedin Mincks Dylan Boyack William Jiang Crystal Crystal

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Phil Stu Alan Doug Mr Chow Kingsley Himself Sid Garner Teddy Lauren Tracy Stephanie Fohn Kimmy Tattoo Joe Linda Garner 12 Years Old 12 Years Old 12 Years Old 12 Years Old 12 Years Old Drug Dealing Monkey Monkey

The Production Team Directed by Todd Phillips Written by Craig Mazin/Scot Armstrong/Todd Phillips Produced by Daniel Goldberg & Todd Phillips Executive Producers Steve Bing/Scott Budnick/Jon Jashni/Thomas Tull/Vineet Original Music by Christophe Beck Director of Photography Lawrence Sher Film Editing by Debra Neil-Fisher & Michael L Sale Casting by Justine Baddeley/Kim Davis-Wagner/Thitiya Thongbai Production Design by Bill Brzeski Art Direction by Desma Murphy & Philip Toolin Set Decoration by Danielle Berman Costume Design by Louise Mingenbach Run Time 102 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2011 - Warner Bros Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.