The Over/Under

OVERRATED: When did they start putting grain alcohol in the office cooler? Don't believe the break room hype. The Hangover is not the funniest movie of all-time. Its not even the funniest movie of this bleak summer season. That distinction belongs to the upcoming Bruno. I laughed more at the trailer than I did at the entire half baked Hangover. Check it out at IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi399835673/

"But Million Dollar Rebel, it was fucking hilarious when Mike Tyson sings that old Miami Vice song by Phil Collins". I thought it was contrived and vaguely sad to see Iron Mike flex his broken funny bone. a few other things that stuck in my craw...

• Waking up with a tiger and an infant? May have worked in a Bugs Bunny cartoon but not in a situation comedy. Visual gags like tigers on toilets have to be explained with more than "we must really been drunk last night.." Also who would carry a lost infant around town and not alert the authorities. Think about how twisted that is. It was a long way to go to get a laugh out of Zack Whatshisname with a front loaded baby papoose.
• A nerdy Asian guy who unleashes a Kung Fu attack? Cough..
• A drunken marriage to a stripper with the proverbial heart of gold? Haven't seen that cliche in about five minutes. Note to Roller Girl: Take your clothes off again, there's your comeback.
• A lead actor (Bradley Cooper) who can't decide whether he's the hero or the cad. We gasp at his fratty roguish antics only to purr when we see what a sensitive father he is to his son. I saw this performance done better and funnier by Vince Vaughn in Todd Phillips previous foray into Boystown, Old School. Bradley Cooper walks and talks like he was born and raised in Galifornia. He must've grown up on the soft side of Old York Road.
• Also next time you want a sleazy locale for a debased bromance, ditch Las Vegas. It has become Times Square meets Disney World meets Cosco. If you want skanks, n'er do wells and miscreants sprinkled with $3 blackjack, take your bachelor party to Reno. And when you get to town, head straight for the Nugget and ask for the "Awful/Awful". It is the best burger you will ever eat..

http://www.flickr.com/groups/awfulawful/

There is no movie cliches in Reno. After a night of drinking there will be no crying babies or circus tigers in your room. Just an old fashioned dead hooker..

NEXT WEEK-

UNDERRATED: Gran Torino