LOS ANGELES – In "The Hangover Part II," Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. With the memory of Doug’s nearly disastrous bachelor party in Las Vegas still fresh—or at least well-documented—Stu is taking no chances. He has opted for a safe, subdued, pre-wedding trip brunch, with pancakes, coffee…and no alcohol. However, things don’t always go as planned.
Two nights before the big day, at a fabulous resort in Thailand, Stu relents. One beer each. In sealed bottles. What could go wrong?
What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined.
"The Hangover Part II" is director Todd Phillips’ follow-up to his 2009 smash hit "The Hangover," which became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time and also won the Golden Globe® for Best Film – Comedy or Musical.
Cooper, Helms, Galifianakis and Bartha star in the film, reprising their roles from "The Hangover." The main cast also includes Ken Jeong and Jeffrey Tambor, who also return from the first film, and Mason Lee, Jamie Chung and Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, who join the ensemble.
View: The Hangover 2 Premiere Red Carpet Photos
"The Hangover Part II" unfolds two years after the incidents in Vegas. "We catch up with the guys to find that everybody’s life has progressed," Phillips describes. "Well, almost everyone—Alan is still living at home with his parents. But Doug and Tracy are happily married and expecting; Phil has had another kid; and Stu has met a wonderful girl and is engaged to be married. Her parents are from Thailand, so that’s where they’ve decided to hold the wedding."
Given his history with certain pre-wedding customs, Stu has set one specific limitation on his friends. Helms notes, "Stu, being understandably a little gun-shy from his experience in Vegas, wants no part of traditional bachelor party. He’s so close to getting everything he wanted in life and is desperate not to screw it up."
"You really feel for Stu in this movie, and Ed brings so much heart to what he goes through that you’re just rooting for him the whole time," Phillips says.
Phil is, to say the least, disappointed in Stu’s "bachelor brunch" idea. "Phil is just a big talker," allows Cooper. "He actually has quite a nice life at home, but he’s this alpha male who probably got married right out of high school and still wants to live those rare moments of cutting loose with his male friends."
For the director, Cooper’s Phil is "the most grounded of the guys, which isn’t saying much," Phillips laughs. "He’s the most level-headed, which enables the other guys to go off the rails."
