MJB SCRIPT REVIEW | THE HANGOVER

“𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗻𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗯𝗲--?”

This film, for me, is the last time I can remember going to the cinema to watch a comedy and genuinely crying with laughter. I think writing comedy isn’t so much difficult, as you either have a knack for it, or you don’t. So it is a genuine pleasure to check out this weeks script; THE HANGOVER.

Plot in a nutshell:  Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night…and no bachelor. Putting on their amateur sleuth caps, (and with a stonking hangover), they make their way around the city, attempting to find their friend before his wedding.

So fair warning, this is not the final shooting script. The character of Phil in the film (played by Bradley Cooper) is named Vick here, and the character of Alan is a little different to what ended up in the final picture. Gone also is the twist (spoiler alert!) where we find out that Alan spiked everybody’s drinks at the start of the night, hence the memory loss. Oh yeah, and there’s no baby! So there have been some changes, but the dynamic is still there. Which is definitely the biggest strength to this script.

Writing for three protagonists, rather than one, is certainly an art form. To keep all three on equal footing and maintain the camaraderie is a practised talent. But both writers have achieved this admirably and you can just picture them both chuckling, typing and high-fiving every so often. Where I think this works is that all three characters are given equal room to speak, show their personalities, take on obstacles and achieve outcomes in their own unique way. Giving them all a common goal helps to keep them united in the direction they are heading, which is a proven winner when it comes to these type of scripts. So, with a combined goal, as well as individual obstacles to overcome, mixed in with the constant that they will support each other, just leads to a fantastic dynamic and a strong base for building any number of ridiculous situations. Because you know these guys have got each other. And that’s the trick. If they could just let each other down whenever they want, where is the humour in that? It’s just nasty then.

The comedy in this script sneaks up on you. I can definitely recommend reading this when you’re not in the mood. It sounds strange, but it forces the humour to do its job. So my first read took place in a carpark waiting to start work. I found myself occasionally laughing out loud (scaring a few passing onlookers), which was unexpected. So a definite testament to the strength of the genre that these guys are trying to nail.

So, what did I learn from THE HANGOVER?

1. The script is definite “bro” humour. A lot of it will be considered highly offensive, if it weren’t for the fact that this is how straight guys genuinely take the piss out of each other. So there is definitely wisdom here in knowing the comedy field you want to plough. These guys are going for heterosexual, male banter and they absolutely nail it. So first recommendation would be when writing comedy, know the field you want to plough!

2. Secondly, these guys are treading through well worn tropes, but giving them a fresh coat of paint by mixing them up. The sleuth movie, conjoined with the bro fest, sprinkled with a touch of quest movie. It’s just a great idea that works really well with a simple hook. The pressure of finding your mate after a stag do before their future wife loses her shit. So mixing up genres, yet keeping your hook simple, is another great example of how to mix things up to get something new and fresh.

3. There is a certain flippancy to the action directions. A feel that they can be a bit more chummy, more easy going in capturing the action around the dialogue. If this is done on purpose, it definitely adds to the feel of the script and it’s story. If it isn’t, then these guys have really felt the voice of the story they are telling and it’s all over every page. Just an interesting observation for future scripts when opting for writing mood across the whole piece.

4. Another solid example of a perfectly formed ending. All laces tied, all roads traversed and all destinations met. Some destinations unexpected. Others just where you wanted them to be. So if you’re thinking about how your ending should look at the final furlong of a feel good movie, give this a whirl. It’s a fuzzy warm, knuckle bumping winner.

Yep, definitely really happy with this one. Was a little worried I’d be bored, but proven wrong as usual. The script stands proudly on its own, without the amazing performances that were given in the film. Which is where a comedy can really soar. But if the script is a winner (and this one is genuinely funny) and you get some really poor actors to take it on, I suspect it would probably still do bloody well.

Comedy classic and an inspirational, feel-good script to take a look at before you get started on your own. And yes, the best time to read this is probably when you’re recovering from having had a few the night before;)

Link to the script;

The_Hangover Script