If you're familiar with Peter Berg's 1998 movie Very Bad Things then you don't really need to see this year's The Hangover from Old School helmer Todd Phillips.
It's the same basic plot of mates going to Vegas for a Stag Party (that's Batchelor Party for the Yanks) and it all going horribly wrong.
Despite the similarities in premise, the tone of The Hangover's a lot lighter. Like Road Trip and Old School, it's played with a down-to-earth, natural quality that's punctuated by crazy characters, foul language and laugh-out-loud moments at frequent intervals. It's quite amusing and very likable but doesn't stick in the memory for long afterwards. Perhaps I shouldn't have seen Berg's 1998 classic before hand, but it's beyond me why this pleasent comedy is one of the biggest hits in the States this year.
