If you saw The Hangover this weekend, congratulate yourself! Not only did you finally learn why everyone in America has been laughing when they think of babies being injured, you also helped contribute to the film's new status as the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time, with a total of $235.9 million (and still going strong). What's especially impressive is that the previous record-holder had held the top spot for almost 25 years: It was Beverly Hills Cop. That film made $234,760,478 back in 1984 and '85, and for a quarter-century no R-rated comedy could top it. The closest anything came was Wedding Crashers, which made $209.3 million in 2005.
The Hangover, directed by Todd Phillips, is #3 among R-rated movies of all genres, behind Passion of the Christ and The Matrix Reloaded, neither of which are comedies, at least strictly speaking. It would have to make another $46 million to surpass Matrix Reloaded, and that probably isn't in the cards, so it will have to content itself with being #1 in the R-rated comedy department. It will probably hold that record for a while, too -- of the top 20 R-rated movies of all time, only six are comedies. Strangely, none of them have Judd Apatow's name attached, either. Can we start a feud between Phillips and Apatow?
If you're wondering how The Hangover stands among comedies of all ratings, forget about it. About a dozen G- and PG-rated animated comedies have made more money, not to mention live-action comedies like Night at the Museum and Home Alone. The R-rated comedy is a genre unto itself, and that's where The Hangover reigns supreme.
