The Hangover Part II (2011)

Director: Todd Phillips

Starring: The same cast and a lot of the jokes from the first one

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The Wolfpack Is Back

Plot: The buddies from the earlier film's bachelor party reunite for a wedding trip to Thailand where one of them, Stu Price (Helms), is planning to tie the knot. Stu is determined that his own pre-wedding party should be a restrained and dignified affair, but between the habits of his friends and the multiple distractions of Bangkok, fate has other plans in store for him.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No way.

I liked it better when it was called THE HANGOVER (2009). THAT film I loved! This one feels anemic but with only a fraction of big laughs the first one had. Seriously, I laughed out loud twice. The formula is the same but it's clear that you need to inject some quality gags to make the formula work. I liked what they did with Galifinakis's character, Alan, and the inclusion of Paul Giamatti was a nice touch. I'm not gay but Bradley Cooper needs to have my babies.


Look, I don't mind 'more of the same' as long as it's funny. This one felt like a cash grab or the cast & crew had so much fun together on the first one that it's a no-brainer to keep making them and having a good time doing it. I get it. I can't blame them for that but at least make it funny. The first picture was fucking hilarious. This one just sat there challenging me to laugh and giving up all too soon. The biggest laughs came from the pictures on the camera at the end but that's too long to wait for any kind of a payoff when the rest of the film, while well made, didn't hold up its end of the deal. I guess they'll have to get Alan married in the next one if there's going to be a third and I don't doubt there will be.