Every once in awhile, a comedy comes along that has you reciting lines and scenes in your head, over and over and over. I haven’t had that experience since last year’s ‘Tropic Thunder,’ so I’ve been patiently waiting for a movie to split my sides, with little to no success.

Then, when all hope seemed lost, ‘The Hangover’ hit theaters. And ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, it dazzled with comedy bravura. Now, although I had some hope that this movie would be funny thanks to the directing of Todd Phillips, who is responsible for the classic comedy ‘Old School,’ I was still pretty skeptical. But the intro to the movie almost immediately put those negative feelings to bed, and then the real fun ensued.

The three leads, Phil, Stu and Alan, played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, were an absolute perfect comedy trio. Cooper, who portrays the good-looking hunk, knows exactly how to put down the pretty boy performance and act like a complete goof throughout the film. Helms, who everyone knows as Andy on ‘The Office,’ brings a hilarious element of a man desperately trying to control his life (well, his wife-to-be being the form of control). But the real star of this movie is Galifianakis, who plays the insanely unorthodox weirdo, Alan. For all of you movie buffs, Zach played Luke in ‘Out Cold.’

Let’s be honest here, this is a movie about a hangover from the previous night’s bachelor party. Phil, Stu and Alan then go on a crazy adventure to find their lost friend Doug, who is getting married that same weekend. But in order to find Doug, the three guys have to go from place to place and try to remember and relive the events of the previous night. Sounds clich’eacute; and stupid, doesn’t it? Well it is, so get over it. But like ‘Old School,’ this movie knows it’s a cheap thrill comedy, which makes this movie a complete winner. It has it all, from Mike Tyson’s tiger, to babies hanging out in closets to a delicious treat called Skittles.

Forget what you read from picky critics or movie snobs because ‘The Hangover’ is a piece of comedy gold. And I guarantee that it will have you guessing from beginning to end. Grade: A Runtime: 100 minutes Director: Todd Phillips Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis Release: June 5 Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material