12 Hilarious Comedy Films Like The Hangover
"The Hangover" stands out as one of the most influential comedies of the 21st century, renowned for its bold humor and chaotic, yet unforgettable, moments. While comedies have always tested the limits of acceptable content, "The Hangover" pushed these boundaries like never before, leaving audiences both shocked and entertained. The film became iconic, not just for its outrageous plot, but because it was an event. People had to experience the wild ride of Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Stu Price (Ed Helms), Alan Garner (Zack Galifianakis), and Doug Billings (Justin Bartha) as their bachelor weekend spirals into chaos. The cast and crew, including director Todd Phillips, went on to achieve even greater success, with Bradley Cooper earning praise for his roles in films like Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, A Star Is Born, and Maestro. Meanwhile, Todd Phillips made waves with the dark, gripping Joker and its sequel.
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Despite being only 15 years old, "The Hangover" evokes a sense of nostalgia for many, especially in today's cinematic landscape where comedies have struggled both financially and in terms of theatrical release. Comedy films are now often relegated to streaming services, leaving behind the thrill of watching with a packed theater. While we can't change Hollywood's current direction, we can recommend a selection of hilarious, R-rated comedies that echo the spirit of The Hangover. If you loved the chaos and humor of The Hangover, check out these similarly wild films.
Animal House (1978)
Universal Pictures
Like The Hangover, Animal House is packed with outrageous antics and memorable characters. Released in 1978, this comedy helped redefine the genre, with nearly everyone involved—both cast and crew—becoming iconic figures in comedy. Directed by John Landis and co-written by National Lampoon co-founder Douglas Kenny, Animal House blended gross-out humor with sharp social commentary, much like The Hangover does today. Both films feature a group of lovable, albeit irresponsible, characters—Delta Tau Chi in Animal House and the gang in The Hangover—who are always up to mischief, yet you can't help but root for them. Their misadventures are fueled by a sense of camaraderie and genuine friendship, even if their actions are less than honorable.
The physical comedy in Animal House, especially from John Belushi's unforgettable "Bluto," serves as a clear inspiration for some of the zany humor in The Hangover. Just as Bluto rallies his friends into ridiculous situations, the gang in The Hangover finds themselves caught in one absurd predicament after another. Both films excel in showing the power of male friendships, with moments that are both hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt.
After Hours (1985)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Todd Phillips has often cited Martin Scorsese as a major influence on his work, and this is evident in the 1985 film After Hours. While Scorsese is best known for his gripping crime dramas, After Hours offers a darkly comedic look at one man's surreal, escalating misadventures in New York City. Similar to The Hangover, After Hours starts with a simple premise that rapidly spirals out of control. Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) finds himself caught up in a nightmarish series of events after a date goes wrong, leading to an absurd chain of events that keeps getting worse. Like the characters in The Hangover, Paul’s attempts to regain control only lead to further chaos.
What sets After Hours apart is its more grounded, yet equally absurd, tone. While The Hangover plays up its humor with wild scenarios, After Hours is a more subtle, albeit dark, exploration of urban anxiety and male insecurity, similar to the deeper themes explored in Phillips' Joker.
Mallrats (1995)
Gramercy Pictures
Mallrats is a perfect example of how both Todd Phillips and Kevin Smith share a love for raunchy humor and pop culture references. In many ways, Mallrats feels like a more youthful version of The Hangover, exploring the anxieties of younger men who are unsure of their futures. While The Hangover examines the challenges of middle-aged men dealing with life’s pressures, Mallrats focuses on a group of young men navigating their way through relationships and growing pains, all while surrounded by comic books and pop culture.
Smith’s film shares a similar sense of friendship and the idea that, despite their flaws, these characters are just trying to figure things out. Like The Hangover, Mallrats blends slapstick comedy with more sincere moments, giving its characters the space to grow and learn from their mistakes. The film also has a fun, nostalgic quality that, while grounded in the 1990s, still resonates today.
Swingers (1996)
Miramax Films
While The Hangover is an over-the-top exploration of adult irresponsibility, Swingers offers a more grounded, yet equally hilarious, look at young adulthood. In this 1996 classic, aspiring comedian Mike Peters (Jon Favreau) and his best friend, actor Trent Walker (Vince Vaughn), navigate life, love, and the Hollywood social scene. The film’s subtle charm lies in its realistic portrayal of the awkwardness and humor of dating, friendships, and trying to "make it" in Los Angeles.
Swingers and The Hangover both tackle the theme of men confronting their fears and insecurities—whether it’s in the form of romantic relationships or the terror of adulthood. Both films are deeply rooted in their respective eras, with Swingers evoking the 1990s swing revival and The Hangover incorporating early 21st-century technology and social media. The chemistry between Favreau and Vaughn elevates the film, much like the bond between the characters in The Hangover.
Wedding Crashers (2005)
New Line Cinema
In many ways, Wedding Crashers mirrors The Hangover's exploration of the chaos that ensues when men act irresponsibly. In Wedding Crashers, John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) crash weddings for fun, only to find themselves in over their heads when they fall for two women, Claire (Rachel McAdams) and Gloria (Isla Fisher). Like The Hangover, Wedding Crashers blends outrageous humor with moments of surprising sincerity, particularly in the relationships that develop over the course of the film.
Both films share an energy of escalating chaos, with characters desperately trying to cover up their misdeeds. In Wedding Crashers, the lie about their military service quickly unravels, just as the lies in The Hangover about the events of the bachelor party spiral into a wild and unpredictable mess.
Superbad (2007)
Sony Pictures
While The Hangover follows a group of middle-aged men getting into trouble, Superbad takes us back to high school, where two teenagers, Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill), try to enjoy their last moments together before heading off to college. Like The Hangover, Superbad is a hilarious exploration of youthful misadventures, but it also brings a level of sincerity and emotional depth that makes the characters' journey more relatable.
Both films center on the theme of impending adulthood and the fear of missing out on important life experiences. While Superbad focuses on high school relationships and friendships, it shares The Hangover's spirit of camaraderie and the comedic yet poignant realization that life is constantly changing.
Step Brothers (2008)
Sony Pictures
Step Brothers is another example of a film where the characters, much like the ones in The Hangover, refuse to act their age. In this uproarious comedy, Brennan (Will Ferrell) and Dale (John C. Reilly) are forced to live together after their parents marry, and their childish rivalry soon turns into an odd, yet heartwarming, friendship. Like The Hangover, Step Brothers is filled with dark humor and absurd physical comedy, with Ferrell and Reilly’s performances taking the film to hilarious heights.
Both films share a similar sense of humor, embracing the ridiculousness of their characters without apologizing for their immaturity. Step Brothers, much like The Hangover, celebrates the messy and chaotic lives of its leads, who, despite their flaws, find themselves in unexpectedly touching moments.
Due Date (2010)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Following the success of The Hangover, Todd Phillips took the same formula and applied it to a different scenario in Due Date. The film pairs an unlikely duo, played by Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, as they embark on a cross-country road trip full of mishaps and misunderstandings. While Due Date leans a bit more on heartwarming moments than its predecessor, it maintains the same absurd humor and unpredictable situations that made The Hangover so memorable.
Both films focus on the relationship between two mismatched characters who, despite their differences, grow and change over the course of their adventure, making Due Date a fitting companion to The Hangover.movies like remember the titans movies like zoolander movies like space cadet movies like mad max fury road movies like my big fat greek wedding movies like sixteen candles movies like this is 40 movies like steel magnolias movies like a christmas carol movies like the bikeriders movies like atonement movies like the book of eli movies like uncle buck movies like geostorm movies like legends of the fall movies like nymphomaniac movies like leap year movies like emma 2 movies like hellboy movies like a simple favor movies like primal fear movies like sin city movies like uglies movies like lights out movies like 12 strong movies like the hunger games movies like obsessed movies like see how they run movies like the wizard of oz movies like full metal jacket movies like king kong movies like letters to juliet movies like no strings attached movies like keanu movies like knocked up movies like shark tale movies like rango movies like the fifth element movies like how high movies like hell or high water movies like i spit on your grave movies like longlegs movies like it follows movies like adore movies like love jones movies like garden state movies like i saw the tv glow movies like law abiding citizen movies like notting hill movies like total recall movies like sleepless in seattle movies like unfrosted movies like bodies bodies bodies movies like nope movies like the imitation game movies like poltergeist movies like sleepy hollow movies like the happening movies like beast movies like bird box 2 movies like the neverending story movies like the lucky one movies like road house movies like lemonade mouth movies like the invitation movies like grease movies like the dark knight movies like atlas movies like the sixth sense movies like the wedding planner movies like the perfect storm movies like wild child movies like the pagemaster movies like abigail