The Hangover

The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.

The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It follows four friends who travel to Las Vegas for a bachelor party and wake up with no memory of the previous night, while the groom is missing. The film became a major box-office success and launched a film series with two sequels. It was widely released and popular in Canada as part of its North American theatrical run.

Plot

The film follows Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug, who travel to Las Vegas for Doug’s bachelor party. After a night of heavy partying, they wake up with no memory of what happened and must retrace their steps to find Doug before the wedding.

Production

The Hangover was directed by Todd Phillips from a screenplay by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film was produced by Legendary Pictures and Green Hat Films and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The story was inspired in part by a real-life bachelor-party incident involving producer Tripp Vinson. The film was shot largely in Nevada.

Release and reception

Released on June 5, 2009, by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film became a major commercial success, grossing over US$467 million worldwide. It became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in the United States at the time. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and received strong commercial momentum.

Legacy

The film’s success led to two sequels: The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013). It established the “wolfpack” characters as a recognizable comedy franchise. Its box-office performance helped set a new benchmark for R-rated comedy releases in the United States.