Writer: Todd Phillips, Craig Mazin
Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, John Goodman
Tomatometer: 21/19/88 (all critics, top critics, audience)
Spoiler-free Summary: Alan has gone off his meds, and he’s too much for his parents to handle. The Wolfpack agrees to shuttle Alan to a psychiatric facility in Arizona. On the way, the boys are attacked by a criminal mastermind in search of Mr. Chow. In order to save (white) Doug, the Wolfpack must track down their wacky acquaintance.
Two Cents: What do all great supporting characters have in common? The word “supporting”. In the final (please, God) installment of the Hangover series, Todd Phillips makes the grave error of attempting to turn a supporting character into a main character. Then, in an unprecedented move that must have been sparked by a complete loss of brain function, Phillips attempts to turn an even less significant supporting character into a main character, as well. I deserve to be punched in the face for using the following term, but I can’t think of anything more apropos: EPIC FAIL!
In The Hangover, we were introduced to Alan, one of the most hilariously clueless characters in buddy comedy history. Zach Galifianakis’s performance was so inventive and refreshing, it set him down a career path that has, so far, been littered with discount copies of the same exact role. In The Hangover Part III, Alan becomes the central character and, thanks to reviews like this one, Todd Phillips has finally learned what the people on Hoarders learned long ago – too much of a good thing can really suck. Alan’s act gets very old very quickly. As much as I love and admire Galifianakis, fifteen minutes into the movie, I found myself doing something I normally save for my private time – begging for more Bradley Cooper.
Not only does Alan take center stage in Part III, but he’s joined in the spotlight by Ken Jeong’s eccentric and thrill-seeking criminal, Mr. Chow. In the first installment, Chow was a welcome addition to an already-stellar roster of comedic characters. In the second, he was the kind of friend from whom you’d like to hear a story or two, but with whom you’d never actually want to spend the time it takes to hear a story or two. In this installment, he’s just downright unbearable.
Think about some of the great supporting characters from comedy films – Carl Spackler from Caddyshack, Les Grossman from Tropic Thunder, and Farva from Super Troopers, for example. All these classic characters were introduced to us by directors who understand that wacky supporting performances should be used like salt. A few shakes of salt can make a decent meal truly wonderful, but, if you let the cap fall off, the whole dish is ruined.
From the opening sequence of the film to the last, it is painfully obvious that Phillips has run out of ideas for his beloved characters. Funny can’t be forced, and, apparently, neither can laughter. As hard as I tried, I did not laugh out loud a single time during this movie. You know you’ve wasted your money (luckily, I attended a half-price showing) when the big opening joke (the one that sets the tone for the entire movie) revolves around giraffes being taller than cars. The film ends with a teaser (as every installment in a series of movies should), suggesting the possibility of a fourth Hangover movie, but let’s hope the promotional posters are truthful and “The End” really means the end.
So long, Alan Garner. I sincerely hope we never meet again.
Should I/Shouldn’t I: You should not.
Sundae Rating: Empty cup
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