THE HANGOVER PART III

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, John Goodman, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Melissa McCarthy and Mike Epps.
Writers: Todd Phillips and Craig Mazin.
Director: Todd Phillips.

Rating: 3/5

The scattershot resume of director Todd Phillips takes an interesting turn with The Hangover Part III, which forgoes a high laugh-per-minute ratio in favour of an admirable dedication to character. A surprisingly heartfelt conclusion to his unplanned comedic franchise, this final instalment of the ‘Wolfpack’ films refuses to try for the giggly rhythm of the first film, preferring a solid examination of the endearing themes of friendship, individuality and eccentricity. Most important of all, it is a vast improvement on #2.

Given the cache of lead players Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and, most obviously, Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper, the immediate question is ‘Why would any of them risk their marquee value for a third turn in a series that left many cold last time around?’ Sure, upfront paycheques and backend deals were undoubtedly sweeteners, but each actor benefits from a script (by Phillips and fellow series regular Craig Mazin) that nails key moments between blokey mates who have matured (by varying degrees) since their first and frantic 2009 adventure.

There are some big leaps to make if one is to go with a plot that kicks off with breakout star Ken Jeong’s Mr Chow escaping a Thai prison, Shawshank-style, followed by a cruel set-piece involving Galifianakis’ Alan, a giraffe and an overpass (even more distasteful than it sounds). Brought together at a funeral for one of the franchise regulars, the ‘Wolfpack’ are soon in the clutches of crime boss Mr Marshall (John Goodman, auto-piloting menace) who demands of them the gold that Chow absconded with before his incarceration. Frankly, the machinations of the plot are too labyrinthine to fully convey here, suffice to say guns, drugs, Heather Graham and Las Vegas are all employed to service a narrative that ultimately plays out more like a shoot-‘em-up heist caper than the buddy comedy many will expect.

The script never fully allows Cooper or Helms to find a strong comic voice, instead using them as devices in the ever-unfolding plot. But nor does it abandon them, instead providing each with a personable presence that makes them slightly more human that in Parts 1 and 2; Galifianakis gets the most screen-time in the first act, but fades back into his sidekick persona. Overall, this third instalment is a distinct departure from the elements that have defined the series to date; gone is the fractured, reverse-storytelling ploy, the supporting female cast and, most noticeably, the drug-and-booze component that fuelled and partially accounted for some insane actions.

Phillips and veteran comedy DOP Lawrence Sher create a vast, widescreen canvas that gives this third instalment an air of epic importance that is only truly definable in terms of the group’s strong mateship. That is to say, nothing truly epic or important happens on-screen, yet the scope of this group’s slightly off-centre bond comes through. This sentimentality invariably helps a subplot involving Alan and comedy ‘it-girl’, Melissa McCarthy, as a pawnshop clerk who clicks with Galifianakis’ nutcase.  

It is not the laugh-riot that many will have hoped for, but The Hangover Part III is certainly a truthful conclusion to a trilogy based upon the notion of three friends trying to help a fourth. The boy-men of the first film are older, wiser here; that makes them slightly less funny, but also makes their sober actions more noble and heartfelt. I didn’t laugh at them as much, but I grew to like them a whole lot more.