Bachelor Party

Unapologetically broad and silly, Bachelor Party follows Tom Hanks’ Rick Gassko as he proposes to his longtime girlfriend (Tawny Kitaen’s Debbie) and is immediately roped into a wild bachelor party by his larger-than-life friends (including Adrian Zmed’s Jay and Michael Dudikoff’s Ryko) – with the movie subsequently detailing the increasingly out-of-control nature of said shindig. It’s clear almost immediately that Bachelor Party benefits substantially from Hanks’ energetic and thoroughly ingratiating turn as the oddball protagonist, and there’s little doubt, too, that the movie is ultimately at its best during its comparatively low-key first half – which revolves mostly around the exploits of the central characters and their preparations for the raucus title event. The easy charm (and affable silliness) of this stretch is difficult to resist, certainly, with the film’s entertainment value experiencing a slow-but-steady decline past a certain point (ie the whole thing just becomes too wild and crazy). And while there are a few funny bits sprinkled into the movie’s midsection and third act – eg the heroes’ ongoing treatment of a snooty rival (Robert Prescott’s Cole) is consistently hilarious – Bachelor Party is, by and large, a watchable yet fairly forgettable early vehicle for a star who would go onto much, much better things.

**1/2 out of ****

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