The Hangover Part II
Stu is getting married. Along with Doug, Phil, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Teddy, he regretfully invites Alan to Thailand for the wedding. After a quiet night on the beach with a beer and toasting marshmallows by the camp fire, Stu, Alan and Phil wake up in a seedy apartment in Bangkok. Doug is back at the resort, but Teddy is missing, there's a monkey with a severed finger, Alan's head is shaved, Stu has a tattoo on his face, and they can't remember any of it. The wolf-pack retrace their steps through strip clubs, tattoo parlors and cocaine-dealing monkeys on the streets of Bangkok as they try and find Teddy before the wedding.
Despite a considerable budget of $80.0M, The Hangover Part II became a box office phenomenon, earning $586.8M worldwide—a remarkable 633% return.
5 wins & 18 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Hangover Part II (2011) demonstrates meticulously timed dramatic framework, characteristic of Todd Phillips's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 42 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Phil Wenneck
Stu Price
Alan Garner
Doug Billings
Teddy
Mr. Chow
Lauren
Kingsley
Main Cast & Characters
Phil Wenneck
Played by Bradley Cooper
The married schoolteacher and de facto leader of the Wolfpack who tries to keep the group together through crisis.
Stu Price
Played by Ed Helms
An anxious dentist getting married in Thailand who becomes the emotional center as he deals with catastrophic consequences.
Alan Garner
Played by Zach Galifianakis
The socially awkward brother-in-law whose impulsive actions repeatedly endanger the group despite good intentions.
Doug Billings
Played by Justin Bartha
The groom who remains at the resort while the others search for Stu's future brother-in-law Teddy.
Teddy
Played by Mason Lee
Stu's 16-year-old future brother-in-law, a Stanford pre-med student who goes missing after the disastrous night.
Mr. Chow
Played by Ken Jeong
The unpredictable criminal who becomes entangled with the Wolfpack again, escalating their problems in Bangkok.
Lauren
Played by Jamie Chung
Stu's beautiful and understanding fiancée whose family and wedding become collateral damage to the chaos.
Kingsley
Played by Paul Giamatti
The intimidating Bangkok crime boss who threatens the group to retrieve Mr. Chow and his stolen money.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Phil calls Tracy from Thailand, grimly stating they've lost Teddy - mirroring the first film's opening and establishing that another disaster has occurred.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The group wakes up in a seedy Bangkok hotel room with no memory of the previous night. Teddy is missing, there's a severed finger in a bowl of ice, and a drug-dealing monkey is in the room.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to The Wolfpack actively chooses to venture into Bangkok's criminal underworld with Mr. Chow to retrace their steps and find Teddy, leaving behind any chance of a normal wedding day., moving from reaction to action.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Mr. Chow dies from a drug overdose (false defeat) and the group realizes Chow had the code to a bank account that gangster Kingsley wants. They're now trapped between criminals with no leads on Teddy., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 76 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Stu calls Lauren to confess they lost Teddy. Fohn disowns Stu completely and the wedding appears cancelled. Stu's worst fear is realized - he's proven he's exactly the irresponsible fool everyone thought he was., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 82 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Alan suddenly remembers - Teddy wasn't kidnapped, he fell off the roof trying to retrieve his dropped phone. They realize Teddy has been in the hotel elevator shaft the entire time., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Hangover Part II's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Hangover Part II against these established plot points, we can identify how Todd Phillips utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Hangover Part II within the comedy genre.
Todd Phillips's Structural Approach
Among the 11 Todd Phillips films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Hangover Part II represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Todd Phillips filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Todd Phillips analyses, see School for Scoundrels, The Hangover Part III and Old School.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Phil calls Tracy from Thailand, grimly stating they've lost Teddy - mirroring the first film's opening and establishing that another disaster has occurred.
Theme
Stu's father-in-law Fohn expresses his disapproval of Stu, stating that in his country rice is better than white rice - the theme of proving one's worth and earning acceptance despite past failures.
Worldbuilding
The Wolfpack reunites for Stu's wedding in Thailand. We learn Stu is marrying Lauren, her protective father disapproves of him, and Stu refuses to invite Alan due to Vegas trauma. Eventually Doug convinces him to include Alan.
Disruption
The group wakes up in a seedy Bangkok hotel room with no memory of the previous night. Teddy is missing, there's a severed finger in a bowl of ice, and a drug-dealing monkey is in the room.
Resistance
The group discovers clues about their night: Stu has a Mike Tyson face tattoo, they find Mr. Chow in the hotel ice machine, and they piece together that they need to find Teddy before the wedding. Chow offers to help retrace their steps.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Wolfpack actively chooses to venture into Bangkok's criminal underworld with Mr. Chow to retrace their steps and find Teddy, leaving behind any chance of a normal wedding day.
Mirror World
The monk at the monastery reveals that Stu made a drunken vow about self-acceptance. This subplot mirrors Stu's external journey - he must accept himself before others can accept him.
Premise
The Wolfpack follows clues through Bangkok's seedy underbelly: visiting a monastery where Alan became a monk, discovering Stu slept with a transgender prostitute, escaping from Russian mobsters, and watching Chow apparently die from a cocaine overdose.
Midpoint
Mr. Chow dies from a drug overdose (false defeat) and the group realizes Chow had the code to a bank account that gangster Kingsley wants. They're now trapped between criminals with no leads on Teddy.
Opposition
Crime boss Kingsley captures the Wolfpack and demands the bank codes. They discover Chow is actually alive but he escapes without helping. The wedding deadline approaches as they're chased through Bangkok, beaten by Kingsley's men, and increasingly desperate.
Collapse
Stu calls Lauren to confess they lost Teddy. Fohn disowns Stu completely and the wedding appears cancelled. Stu's worst fear is realized - he's proven he's exactly the irresponsible fool everyone thought he was.
Crisis
The group sits defeated in Bangkok, having failed to find Teddy. Stu wallows in despair, believing he's lost Lauren forever and proven everyone right about him. Phil and Alan try to comfort him but seem equally lost.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Alan suddenly remembers - Teddy wasn't kidnapped, he fell off the roof trying to retrieve his dropped phone. They realize Teddy has been in the hotel elevator shaft the entire time.
Synthesis
They rescue Teddy from the elevator shaft, missing a finger but alive. Racing to the wedding, Stu finally stands up to Fohn, declaring he's a good man who doesn't need approval. Lauren and Stu marry in a beautiful beach ceremony.
Transformation
At the wedding reception, Stu stands confident with his new family while Teddy holds up his bandaged hand giving a thumbs up. Stu has transformed from a man seeking approval to one who knows his own worth - tattoo and all.