12 Hilarious Films Like The Hangover for a Comedy Marathon
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The Hangover remains one of the most influential comedy films of the 21st century, and certainly one of the most audacious. While comedies have always pushed boundaries, The Hangover set new standards for outrageous humor. Its wild, unpredictable plot captivated audiences, offering a chaotic yet unforgettable glimpse into the consequences of a bachelor party gone terribly wrong. Featuring a memorable cast—Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Stu Price (Ed Helms), Alan Garner (Zack Galifianakis), and Doug Billings (Justin Bartha)—the film became a cultural phenomenon, largely due to its unexpected and extreme comedic moments.
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The movie's success was not just due to its wild humor but also its sense of event—it was a must-see spectacle. The cast and crew continued to achieve great success: Bradley Cooper’s performances in Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, A Star Is Born, and Maestro have earned him critical acclaim. Director Todd Phillips has since made the leap to more serious filmmaking with Joker and its sequel, showcasing his versatility in both dark and comedic storytelling.
Though The Hangover is just 15 years old, it already evokes a sense of nostalgia, particularly as comedy films today often underperform at the box office and are relegated to streaming services. The shared experience of laughing with a packed audience in theaters is something that many cinephiles long for. While we can’t change the state of Hollywood, we can recommend some hilarious R-rated comedies that will bring back the uproarious fun that The Hangover inspired.
Animal House (1978)
Universal Pictures
Much like The Hangover, the cast and crew of Animal House went on to shape the world of comedy. Directed by John Landis and co-created by National Lampoon's Douglas Kenney, Animal House blended raunchy humor with biting social commentary, offering a satirical look at college life. The film follows the antics of the misfit fraternity Delta Tau Chi as they clash with the “prestigious” Omega Theta Pi fraternity, proving that the so-called "outsiders" often have the most to teach.
Both films feature a group of lovable misfits—Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug of The Hangover, and Bluto (John Belushi) and his fraternity brothers in Animal House—who engage in wild, chaotic escapades but remain endearing despite their troublemaking ways. The moments of physical comedy in The Hangover share a clear influence from Belushi’s antics in Animal House, including an iconic footnote where Bluto becomes a U.S. Senator, which, given today's political climate, somehow seems entirely plausible.
After Hours (1985)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Todd Phillips has often cited Martin Scorsese as a major influence on his career. Joker channels elements of Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, and War Dogs has echoes of Goodfellas and Mean Streets. However, the film most similar in tone to The Hangover is Scorsese’s often-overlooked After Hours.
Like The Hangover, After Hours takes a seemingly simple premise and escalates it into an absurd series of events. The film follows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), whose awkward date in New York's SoHo district spirals into a nightmarish adventure. Each misstep compounds his misery in a series of increasingly absurd circumstances, much like the disastrous series of events Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug endure. Dunne’s performance is compelling as he embodies both the pathetic and relatable nature of Paul, much like the way The Hangover’s characters struggle with their own misguided sense of masculinity.
Mallrats (1995)
Gramercy Pictures
Both Todd Phillips and Kevin Smith share a knack for crafting stories about raunchy, lovable characters, often infused with pop culture references. While Phillips' Joker marks his dive into darker, more serious themes, Smith’s Mallrats is a nostalgic look at young men struggling with adulthood—echoing The Hangover's themes of growth and personal evolution.
In Mallrats, T.S. Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) are stuck in the limbo of post-adolescence, unable to let go of their comic book obsessions while facing the looming responsibilities of adulthood. The film captures the growing pains of a younger generation, much like The Hangover does for men reaching middle age. Both movies show how their characters must face the consequences of their immaturity before they can move forward in their relationships.
Swingers (1996)
Miramax Films
The Hangover might be one of the most absurd takes on the mid-life crisis, but Swingers provides a more realistic (and equally hilarious) look at dating and personal growth. The film centers on Mike Peters (Jon Favreau), an aspiring comedian, and his best friend Trent Walker (Vince Vaughn) as they navigate life and relationships in 1990s Los Angeles.
Though the stakes in Swingers are not as extreme as in The Hangover, both films share a strong sense of camaraderie among their leads. Favreau and Vaughn’s real-life chemistry is palpable, making the film a standout in '90s indie comedy. While The Hangover delves into outrageous plot twists, Swingers remains grounded in its portrayal of youthful struggles and the pressures of growing up.
Wedding Crashers (2005)
New Line Cinema
Wedding Crashers shares a common theme with The Hangover: the consequences of irresponsible men stepping out of their depth. In Wedding Crashers, John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) attend weddings for one reason: to seduce women. Their world flips upside down when they fall for two women who challenge their carefree bachelor lifestyle. Much like The Hangover, the duo faces escalating complications, including an unexpected love story and personal growth.
While Wedding Crashers has more slapstick moments, both films show the internal tension that arises when friendships are tested, and the characters are forced to confront their immaturity.
Superbad (2007)
Sony Pictures
Though The Hangover centers on middle-aged men grappling with their lost youth, Superbad explores similar themes of growth, but with teenagers. Superbad is an uproarious coming-of-age comedy about two boys, Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), trying to make the most of their last days before college. Like The Hangover, the film is packed with absurd gags, but at its heart, it’s a deeply sincere exploration of friendship and the anxieties of growing up.
While the tone differs—Superbad is more heartfelt—both films capture the humorous struggle of young men trying to make sense of their world, and both highlight the strong, albeit often dysfunctional, bonds of male friendships.
Step Brothers (2008)
Sony Pictures
Another comedy that embraces immaturity with pride is Step Brothers, a hilarious exploration of middle-aged men who refuse to grow up. Brennan (Will Ferrell) and Dale (John C. Reilly) are forced to live together when their parents marry, and they quickly devolve into a series of petty arguments and childish behavior. Despite the absurdity, both Step Brothers and The Hangover feature dark humor and a focus on personal transformation.
While The Hangover showcases the consequences of a bachelor party gone wrong, Step Brothers takes a similar approach by allowing its characters to remain completely unrepentant until they learn valuable lessons through their absurd antics.
Due Date (2010)
Warner Bros. Pictures
After The Hangover sequels, Todd Phillips ventured into new comedic territory with Due Date. While similar to The Hangover in its wild, unpredictable journey, Due Date offers a more heartwarming narrative about two very different men forced to travel together. Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis play polar opposites in a road trip comedy that balances absurdity with sincerity, much like the best moments of The Hangover.
These films, much like The Hangover, share an affinity for pushing boundaries with humor, while also reflecting deeper truths about friendship, maturity, and personal growth. Whether you're looking for more outrageous antics or a more grounded exploration of male anxiety, these R-rated comedies will keep you laughing long after the credits roll.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