Searching for a Deeper Meaning: The Hangover Part 2 vs The Tree Of Life

VS

I say "versus" because "and" doesn't feel entirely appropriate. The Hangover Part 2 was a cash-in, strike while the iron is hot formulaic comedy; while The Tree of Life's development was more tedious and gestated over the course of 6 years.

I saw The Hangover Part 2 out of obligation, and though the audience made the movie a somewhat enjoyable experience- the artistic nuances were overshadowed by cheap ploys. Art such as: Ken Jeong. He is a world-beater and we not only got to see his penis again- it was referred to as a mushroom cap. But his character 'died' and his revival later was marred by, and I'm serious when I say this, not using the N-word enough. The energy of Zach Galfianakis pops more in scenes where he's given less to do (running with ice cream, dead-pan driving a boat) which undercuts the actual writing of The Hangover Part 2. Still though: we all relate to feeling lost. Lost in a much larger unknown, having to depend on friends but having more so to depend on ourselves. To find it within ourselves, against the dreariest of backgrounds, to rise up in the face of our detractors and overcome.... it's all very trite. Paul Giamatti brings his A-game and once again shows he can be amazing in bad movies (Duplicity, Big Fat Liar, The Nanny Diaries, Fred Claus). So the deeper meaning here is that it was the polar opposite of The Tree of Life, a movie I am currently analyzing, re-analyzing, and over analyzing. Much of the exposition is cut, making the emotions laid out there to just simply relate to or cull from. Scenes of dinosaur mercy, a family struggling, young boys fighting in the woods- no dialogue just angst and projection. It was a thouroughly enjoyable movie for the fact that I still am currently enjoying it a week later. The Hangover Part 2- that was chewed up and digested before the movie ended. Funny movie, and when it went darker and non-referential at parts- Stu's ruminating on sleeping with a transexual, Alan seeing the world as children, Phil's non-chalant relationship with his child- I appreciated the movie more.

But a bad movie is open to criticism and prone to be picked apart. You can see the gears moving and see how they could be moving better in The Hangover Part 2. Notice how I only gave The Tree of Life about 2 sentences in this post- it is because good movies you just want to enjoy. You're not analyzing as much when you watch. Again- these two movies are polar opposites. If you have everything- you have nothing. If something is so good to someone, something must be so bad to someone. Something means something to someone, the opposite of that exists. One man's Tree of Life is another's Hangover Part 2. Both garner appreciation in their own concerns.

Also, both movies were initially to feature Mel Gibson and both didn't and now both are forever bounded in glory.