No doubt about it now. Hangover is the breakout comedy of the summer. The Todd Phillips raunchfest is No. 1 at the box office for the second week in a row, raking in a reported $33.4 million for the weekend and bringing its 10 day gross to $105.4 million. That's a record, people. Hangover is the first R-rated movie ever to cross $100 million that fast. In related Hangover news, those of you that kindly track my blog and follow me on Twitter have elected Zach Galifianakis as that screwball comedy's Most Valuable Player. Sorry Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper, you didn't come close.
Surprisingly, the action flick The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, loaded with the star power of John Travolta and Denzel Washington, did a middling $25 million, good for just third place after the Pixar money machine UP. Now for the bad news: Eddie Murphy, the movie-going public is obviously getting tired of your act. Imagine That, which some critics were actually kind to, dribbled out a measly $5.7 million, less than half of what was expected. After this and last summer's Meet Dave fiasco, Murphy needs some career counseling and pronto.
Back to Hangover for a minute. Everyone expected this to be a guy movie. The wise money predicted that the ladies would balk at watching dudes being slobs. And yet Warner Bros. reports that 48 percent of the audience for Hangover has been female. This alleged guy movie is suddenly a date flick with unlimited box-office potential. So my question today is just for the women out there. What is it you see in Hangover? What qualities does it have to persuade you to recommend it to your girlfriends? Just curious, really curious.
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amy | July 3, 2009 10:37 PM
Funny is funny. I've seen The Hangover twice now and I'm seriously considering seeing again before it leaves theaters. It had me at the scene when they wake up and are all sleeping on the floor, chair smoking, chicken... There are a ton of great one-liners. Leslie Chow, my little lucky charm! Ah man, Tyler, he looked like a Carlos to me too! Anyhow, great belly laughs. Great cameo from Mike Tyson of all people. Just a great variety of guys being idiots. We've all been idiots after drinking, although I've never stolen a cop car or tiger! Zach G. is fabulous. Enough. By the way, I'm curious, how many times did they say "Doug" in that movie?!?!
Penny | June 19, 2009 2:38 PM
I love shows about marriage- I love the wedding cake shows, the 'Bridezilla' show-anything! AND- We love party planning. You should check out some of the bride/wedding planning blogs girls make on-line. They are some of the "most visited" out there.AND- We ALL want a funny and cute fiancee with funny and cute friends we ca introduce OUR friends to--
Even if they get into mischief(tho we'd make them get makeovers and workout before we'd set them up :)
We also love 'The Girls Next Door' and/or 'The Hills', and Vegas has really been brought to a new level with those shows where young women are concerned.
Also- We love funny men. We watch and use lines from comedies like 'Office Space' and 'Super Troopers' all the time- We find guys who make us crack up laughing all the more appealing.
This movie was about a bachelor PARTY with FUNNY MEN before a WEDDING, and it's in VEGAS.
= Perfect storm
I would bet that many of the women who went were also on a date- seeing a movie like this on a date makes u take some of the funniness on the screen, and project it onto ur date- that ALWAYS happens(We see the date as making us laugh-which is a HUGE plus with women on a date-and it might not have been the guy--he just gets to ride on the wave from the funny movie-)
Really- If they had some killer fashion like SATC - that's the only thing that was missing to strengthen my own draw to it!
These points may not apply to all women, but for me and my friends who are 18-30 -- All those little points merge together to give us a perfect movie! :)
liz | June 18, 2009 2:10 PM
The same reason I enjoy watching old routines of Abbot and Costello and George Carlin because it's funny.
Generally speaking, if a film is good it crosses the gender line.
Julie | June 18, 2009 1:41 PM
Answer: Zach G. I'm sure you brushed off Out Cold, but he was pretty hysterical in that movie. From the beginning scene he establishes his comedic presence.
Amanda | June 18, 2009 2:23 AM
The Hangover is just down right hilarious. All the awkward, unexpected completely random moments, the sexual innuendo, the hilarious one-liners. Even if it's set up as a "guy movie" through the bachelor party motif, genius comedy has no gender. The fact Bradley Cooper is gorgeous also helps, a lot.
Steve | June 17, 2009 6:06 PM
I didn't think this movie was all that funny compared to Observe and Report. I thought it was very tasteless when it came to the baby jokes. Not quite sure why this film has garnered so much word of mouth support. The best movie to date this year is UP!
jgg | June 17, 2009 11:45 AM
I saw it with my sister and niece. We all loved it!!
tiff | June 17, 2009 5:58 AM
I had to drag my boyfriend to see this...which you'd expect to be the other way around.
I dunno. I thought the trailers looked funny and I LOVE Zach Galifianakis so I thought I'd check it out.
I don't think that women get a lot of credit for being as funny as they are. Maybe it's because a lot of women I know aren't funny at all. However, the women that I do know that are funny, are extremely funny.
I'm a woman and I've been told that I'm funny. "you should try out for last comic standing" is what I've been told. Wait a minute. That show is not funny at all. So maybe women aren't funny...who knows.
Answer | June 16, 2009 8:59 PM
Because girls like funny movies too, Peter. And, also, movies labeled "girl movies" suck hardcore. So, on principle alone, this woman are drawn to see The Hangover.NOT because of Bradley Cooper.If you want to see a movie based on median attractiveness of the cast, you see Twilight. If you want to laugh your ass off, you see The Hangover.
Yara | June 16, 2009 7:56 PM
I went and saw it with another female friend, and laughed the whole way through. It's just good comedy, regardless of gender.
Mom of 2 | June 16, 2009 6:00 PM
I went with my husband and Mother-in-law and we laughed our asses off. Had a blast and laughed for a couple hours. Doesn't matter if you are a guy or a girl, funny is funny.
chuck | June 16, 2009 3:25 PM
word-of-mouth.
and because it's relatable to everyone, because everybody drinks and has hangovers.
to the comment just made, i agree with you almost completely, but i do have to say that Anna Faris and Tina Fey are both very funny.
Steph | June 16, 2009 3:20 PM
Best line to set up the movie... Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for herpes...that lasts forever.
Enerib | June 16, 2009 2:55 PM
The Movie is original, funny, dumb, has that "sticks with you" quality, has charismatic cast and even the dumb parts are good.
Any explanations about the wandering chicken? Chickens and tigers. Who would have guessed?
erica | June 16, 2009 12:35 PM
Most critics gave The Hangover excellent reviews. Opposed to the comedies that are suppose to appeal to women such as He's just not that into you, Bride Wars, Shopaholic, etc. which are usually crap fare and borderline insulting.
These "female" comedies are always formulatic and rarely as well written and even more rarely feature actual comedians.
So until I see a truly smart, funny comedy that features women (preferably NOT Leslie Mann or Christine Taylor, which is a whole other rant as to why any good female comedy roles always seem to go to the wives of the stars/director) I'll be buying tickets to The Hangover.
Drewdog21 | June 16, 2009 11:00 AM
Because nowadays, women are as crass as that kind of comedy, too.
....... | June 16, 2009 9:58 AM
bradley cooper makes me feel good. hes super sexy
Christina | June 16, 2009 3:56 AM
BRADLEY COOPER GOT HOT!!!
the king of comedy | June 16, 2009 1:45 AM
comedy is a fickle thing.
i rarely find entire comedy
movies worthwhile.
they usually have a couple of
funny moments and then fade out
in a hale storm of cliche or the
now boring "gross out humor"
(i.e dumb and dumber)
apatow has been reviving it
with his off-brand of
loser-loving laugh-fests.
i loved the 40 year old virgin,
and people have been taking cues
from him what with the great "i
love you man" and the even better role models
the hangover is another great
example of that.
i can't wait to see year one.
Harold ramis is one of my
favorite film makers.
i think an intelligent woman
would be able to appreciate a
film such as the hangover
because it doesn't resort to
any of the pathetic measures
that modern comedy usually
relies on "typecast characters
idiot plots and other shit too
stupid to mention"
hope to see more like this one.
good going todd.
Len | June 16, 2009 1:21 AM
A really smart movie might have explained how three drunken fools could get a tiger into Caesar's Palace without security knowing about it, or why the smoke detector did not go off when there was a fire in the room, or why a mother would leave her baby in a room with a tiger and a fire burning, or several other unanswered questions.
Dude | June 16, 2009 12:46 AM
Peter, why are you asking such a dumb question? Of course women like movies such as the Hangover. Why do we assume women only to go crap movies like Twilight? Lame. Give me more movies like the Hangover any day.
Cindy | June 16, 2009 12:23 AM
I could have told u years ago that Zack G. was amazing, back when I 1st saw him playing the piano and making random jokes for his standup act. Anywayz what's not to like, it's hilarious, and unpredictable. Girls like funny...duh...
Jennifer | June 15, 2009 11:23 PM
This is male comedy at its best -- no fart jokes no Porky's-type sex humor. It's just plain hilarious. I laughed the entire time. I think the sarcastic humor won me over.
April | June 15, 2009 10:59 PM
Bradley Cooper is gorgeous and we like comedy too, even if it is raunchy.
Jess | June 15, 2009 9:42 PM
Girls like raunchy, gross-out humor, too. Duh.
Maria A. | June 15, 2009 8:17 PM
Bradley Fucken Cooper and the baby.
Ed Helms and Zach G. are funny, but Cooper steals the spotlight, somehow.
Answer | June 15, 2009 6:54 PM
The Baby.
Daphne | June 15, 2009 6:53 PM
Its funny without being stupid - the humor went beyond lame toilet humor. I've seen it twice now and I will see it again. And Bradley Cooper is hot. But so is Zach G in a strange sort of way. Sorry Ed.
Rhi | June 15, 2009 5:58 PM
BRADLEY COOPER = F-ING HOT!!
Anonymous | June 15, 2009 4:33 PM
I think that after Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, women know that R rated comedy doesn't automatically assume dumb male comedy
Radio Zero | June 15, 2009 4:27 PM
I think the key word was comedy...though I did find The Matrix pretty humorous...
Brandon | June 15, 2009 4:12 PM
Yeah, just looked it up. The Matrix Reloaded (rated R) opened with over $91 million in 2003. And was already at $200 million after its 2nd weekend.
Brandon | June 15, 2009 4:08 PM
Wouldn't The Hangover be the fastest R rated Comedy to break $100 million? Seems like some action movie like Matrix 2 would've gotten past $100 million faster.
sft | June 15, 2009 3:38 PM
I haven't seen it yet - but really want to. It appeals to me because it looks hilarious! Girls have a sense of humor too! It looks funny, but not totally stupid.
lady gaga | June 15, 2009 3:29 PM
Answer: Bradley Cooper.