The Hangover was one of the more unique films of 2009. As a raunchy, over-the-top comedy filled with crude jokes and bathroom humor, it somehow managed to make audiences around the world laugh until they cried.
This kind of film, of course, had no chance of being screened in the East. In her past life, due to its subject matter, the movie had never been imported. Laila had to go hunting for pirated sources online just to watch it.
But watching it on a computer screen? That could never compare to the full cinematic experience. So now, in this life, she finally got her chance to enjoy it on the big screen—and she was determined to laugh to her heart's content.
"HAHAHA!" "Oh my God!" "I'm dying!" "How can they be this funny?!"
It didn't take long before the whole theater was filled with uproarious laughter.
Laila was no exception. She laughed until tears streamed down her face, and had to nudge Roy—who was also howling with laughter—for a tissue.
Back in her previous life, she hadn't laughed this much when she watched it. Partly because the film quality was lower on her computer, but mostly due to the language barrier. Just as foreigners often don't get the punchlines of Eastern stories, many Western jokes were lost on her at the time. The dialogues, the physical comedy—none of it quite landed.
But now, it was different. English had long become her second mother tongue. She understood all the cultural references and all the nuances. So every punchline, every ridiculous gag hit her like a truck—she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
Roy was just the same, cracking up nonstop at the absurd scenarios playing out onscreen.
When they walked out of the theater afterward, both were still in high spirits, chatting excitedly about the plot. Unfortunately, the two of them were far too conspicuous. As it happened, many entertainment reporters liked to stake out theaters when a movie first dropped, hoping to catch audience reactions for interviews. So these two, completely immersed in their post-movie discussion and having forgotten all about disguises, were caught red-handed.
It wasn't their first time getting spotted outside a cinema. It had happened before. Usually, they were careful—hats, sunglasses, maybe even different clothes. But this time, the movie was just too funny, and they'd completely let their guard down. The most they'd done was throw on some sunglasses—and that wasn't enough.
Even without their fame, the two of them—tall, attractive, and stylish—stood out like sore thumbs. They were exactly the kind of people reporters wanted to interview. Not only did they make for good footage, but the buzz they generated guaranteed high viewer interest. A hot celebrity couple was far more appealing than some scruffy middle-aged man coming out of the same film.
The person who recognized them was someone familiar—a reporter from a TV station who'd interviewed Laila before. He'd been scanning the dispersing crowd for interview targets with the precision of a hawk, and the moment he spotted them, he dashed over without hesitation.
"Roy! Laila! Haha, you came to see The Hangover too?" The reporter grinned like he'd just struck gold, thrilled that he'd caught them off guard.
After all, this was Roy and Laila! Either one of them alone could boost viewership like crazy. Put them together, and it wasn't just 1 + 1 = 2—it was exponential growth. This scoop would earn him a hefty bonus.
Roy and Laila exchanged a wry smile. Since they'd been caught, they might as well say a few words.
"Yes, we came to see The Hangover," Roy replied.
The reporter's curiosity spiked. "So it's a comedy, right? Do you two usually enjoy this kind of film?"
"Of course! Comedies are great. They help lift your mood," Roy said cheerfully.
Laila added, "I like comedies. Sometimes it's nice to just shut off your brain, stop thinking, and enjoy something light and fun that makes you feel good."
The reporter was visibly surprised. "Director Moran… you watch this kind of movie too?"
Laila raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, I didn't mean it like that…" The reporter chuckled awkwardly. "It's just that your films are always so refined and meaningful. I didn't expect someone like you to enjoy, uh… poop-joke humor… I mean, this kind of silly comedy." He almost said "toilet humor" outright, but quickly switched to a more polite phrasing in front of such a prestigious figure.
But of course, Laila knew exactly what he meant. She chuckled and said, "Honestly, I enjoy these films a lot. Not everything has to be profound or symbolic. Sometimes, I just want to laugh like crazy—and comedies like this are perfect for that."
"So, what did you think of The Hangover?"
Laila gave it a moment's thought. She knew her words carried weight, so she chose them carefully.
"I thought it was hilarious. Perfect for anyone looking to de-stress and laugh out loud. If you're hoping for deep insights or emotional revelations, this isn't that kind of film. It won't make you laugh through your tears—it'll make you laugh until you cry."
Roy nodded in agreement, grinning as he added, "She's not kidding—Laila was cracking up in there."
If he wasn't worried about damaging her image, he might've told the reporter just how hard she'd been laughing. Even he had never seen her like that before. At that moment, she wasn't a high-and-mighty Hollywood director or the heir to a media empire—she was just a young woman, carefree and laughing with abandon.
He loved seeing that side of her—so light, so unburdened. For that reason alone, he didn't mind saying a few good words about the movie.
The reporter quickly picked up on their tone. With both Roy and Laila praising the film, it was clear The Hangover was going to blow up. If Laila said something was funny, who could doubt it? Countless viewers would watch the clip and rush to theaters out of sheer curiosity.
And sure enough, that's exactly what happened. After the interview aired, Laila and Roy's fans were intrigued. What kind of movie could make Laila laugh that hard? And what could amuse Roy, who was usually so poised?
But unlike the reporter's assumptions, some people did question Laila's definition of "funny."
Why?
Because her films had rarely been comedic. The only semi-funny one was that Eastern kung fu flick The Vanguard Moment, and even that wasn't anywhere close to The Hangover's level of crudeness. Many people genuinely doubted whether Laila truly understood comedy—or if she was just confusing it with artistic humor.
But once the curious ones went and watched the movie, they realized she hadn't been exaggerating at all.
The Hangover was downright hilarious.
And just like that, the movie's box office numbers skyrocketed at an astonishing rate. The filmmakers and producers were practically fainting with joy.
Author's Note:
The Hangover was funny. As mentioned in the story, some jokes don't translate well across cultures—but if you get the references, it's a riot. And yes, the movie even featured Mike Tyson and his tiger. Fun fact: that tiger was one of Tyson's real pets. He owned three of them, and just feeding them cost thousands of dollars per month. Poor folks like us can only dream…