The Hangover

Synopsis: Two days before his wedding, Doug (Justin Bartha) and three friends (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis) drive to Las Vegas for a wild and memorable stag party. In fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can't remember a thing; nor can they find Doug. With little time to spare, the three hazy pals try to re-trace their steps and find Doug so they can get him back to Los Angeles in time to walk down the aisle.
Genre: Comedy
3,332 Views


EXT. BEL AIR BAY CLUB -- PACIFIC PALISADES, CA -- MORNING

It’s a beautiful spring morning in the Palisades. High atop the cliffs, looking out over the Pacific Ocean, sits the exclusive BEL AIR BAY CLUB. Workers bustle about the lawn, setting up a high-end wedding.

A STRING QUARTET warms up. A team of FLORISTS arrange centerpieces. CATERERS set the white linen tables...

INT. BRIDAL SUITE -- DAY

A simple, classic wedding dress hangs on a closet door in this sun-drenched bridal suite. Sitting at the makeup table, surrounded by her bridesmaids, is the beautiful bride, TRACY TURNER, 20’s. She’s busy doing her makeup.

Just then, Tracy’s rich, stern FATHER, 50’s, blows in. MR. TURNER

Any word from Doug?

The way he spits out “Doug” tells us all we need to know

about how Mr. Turner feels about his future son-in-law.

TRACY:

No, but I’m sure he’s--

Just then, Tracy’s CELLPHONE rings. She quickly answers it.

Hello?

TRACY (CONT'D)

EXT. MOJAVE DESERT -- MORNING

Heat-waves rise off the Mojave. Standing at a lone, dust- covered payphone in the middle of the desert is

VICK LENNON:

He’s in his late 20’s, tall, rugged -- and currently a mess. His shirt is ripped open, his aviator sunglasses are bent, his lip is bloodied, and he clearly hasn’t slept in days.

VICK Tracy, it’s Vick.

Parked on the dirt road behind Vick is his near-totalled 1967 Cadillac Deville convertible; it’s scratched, dented, filthy - - and missing its passenger side door.

Slouched inside are TWO OTHER GUYS, also looking like hell.

INTERCUT WITH:

TRACY Hey Vick!

VICK:

Listen, honey...The bachelor party

got a little out of control and, well...we lost Doug.

TRACY:

(her jaw dropping)

What?! But we’re getting married in like four hours!

2.

Vick squints at the rising

VICK Yeah, that’s not

TITLE OVER BLACK: 40 HOURS

EXT. THE 10 FREEWAY -- DAY

sun.

gonna happen.

EARLIER:

CUT TO:

CUT TO:

The top down, The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” blasting from the stereo, Vick’s pristine Cadillac convertible rockets down Highway 10 towards Nevada.

At the wheel is Vick, looking as sharp as his Caddy in a half- open shirt and mint condition aviators.

Sitting shotgun is the groom, DOUG BILLINGS, late 20’s, handsome, barefoot, crunchy -- an all around great guy.

Behind Vick sits ALAN MERVISH, late 20’s, an anal tax attorney from Connecticut, his Izod shirt tucked into his khakis. He’s currently applying sun screen to his forehead.

Next to Alan is STU PRYCE, late 20’s, former high school linebacker and lovably dimwitted father of two. He drums the back of the frontseat to the music, totally pumped, like this is his first time out of the house in years. Because it is.

STU:

Dude this is already the best

weekend ever!

VICK:

Stu, relax, we’re still on the 10.

STU Oh, did I show

kids?!

DOUG No, dude, show

you pictures of my

‘em.

Stu fishes pictures out of his wallet and eagerly shows them to Doug in the front seat. Doug is clearly the core of this group, the glue that holds these childhood friends together.

STU:

Haylee is two, and Kaitlin is

already four! Can you believe it?!

DOUG:

(smiling at photos)

How cute... Good for you, man.

Doug shows the photos to Vick; he nods, impressed.

VICK:

The one on the left is gonna be a

hottie. The other one, not so much.

Stu protectively snatches the photos back, muttering:

STU:

Jesus, dude, those are my children--

ALAN:

(re:
sunscreen)

Hey, am I rubbed in?

Stu glances over and sees un-rubbed-in sunscreen all over Alan’s face.

STU Yeah, you’re good.

DOUG:

Hey so Alan, are you and Becky

still together? But before Alan can answer--

VICK:

Of course they are, Doug. Jesus,

Alan’s been dating Becky for 14 years. When they first met, Alan had braces and soccer hair, and Becky had a functioning hymen.

(MORE)

3.

VICK (CONT'D) Asking Alan if he’s still with

Becky is like asking the sun if it still rises in the east.

The guys try not to laugh; Alan scowls.

DOUG:

She still pressuring you to get

married?

ALAN:

Enh, we’ve moved past the pressure

stage...it’s more like aggravated assault stage now? Like at the last wedding we went to, she threw a camera at my head, called me a closet fag, then ran out crying.

The guys wince, oooo.

ALAN (CONT'D)

But we talked, and everything’s

cool now.

STU:

Maybe you could wear a helmet to

Doug’s wedding.

ALAN:

Great idea, Stu. Thanks.

DOUG (laughing)

So Vick, how’s business going?

VICK:

Oh, great. Yeah, I’m working on

bringing the next big dessert craze to Los Angeles. It’s gonna be huge.

DOUG What is it?

VICK:

Bavarian custard. We ran the

numbers, and it’s gonna be bigger than fro yo.

Doug and Stu nod, impressed; only Alan looks skeptical.

ALAN:

Isn’t custard like a trillion

calories--?

4.

VICK:

Our plan is to open three stores in

the Valley and then franchise it. Shares are selling fast, but I can probably squeeze you guys in...

DOUG:

Yeah, man, count me in.

STU:

Me too, man! I love pudding!

Alan just shakes his head, unbelievable.

ALAN:

Is this gonna do better than the

hip-hop label you started, Vick? Or the topless sushi bar? Or the mobile tattoo parlor--?

VICK:

Tattoo-To-You was an idea ahead of

it’s time, Alan! And don’t come crying to me when there’s a Custard Cabana on every street corner in America and you didn’t buy in--!

DOUG (laughing)

All right, all right, save it for the party...

Vick and Alan quiet. Stu is still drumming the seat.

STU:

Dude! I can’t believe I get to

party all night, and then, tomorrow ...I get to sleep in! It’s almost too much! And FYI, if anyone gets really drunk and craps themself, just let me know, I can have you cleaned up and partying again in under three minutes. No joke. I am a master of stool removal...

They rocket off into the desert, LAUGHING... TITLE CARD: “FRIDAY, 5:12 PM”

5.

CUT TO:

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes

Todd Phillips

Todd Phillips is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Phillips began his career in 1993 and directed films in the 2000s such as Road Trip, Old School, Starsky & Hutch, and School for Scoundrels. He came to prominence in the early 2010s for directing The Hangover film series. more…

All Todd Phillips scripts | Todd Phillips Scripts

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Submitted by xbsocto on February 17, 2021

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    "The Hangover" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_hangover_25384>.

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