‘Tropic Thunder’ Makes Fun of You, Me, and Most of All, Itself
-----The hype for this film was insanely high. A comedic team-up of a number of A-List Hollywood stars in Ben Stiller’s first go at directing since ‘Zoolander’ was simply mouthwatering. This includes the stars of this year’s earlier hits ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black, respectively. Fortunately for all fans of crude and blunt humor, this movie fulfills the hype.
-----While it may be considered a love it or hate it scenario, there’s no denying the controversy this film stirred up. While there were many protesters to the films use of the word ‘retard’ among other aspects, it’s hard to accuse this film of being specifically derogatory towards any particular group, because it slams everyone, namely the stars they portray in the film and are in real life. The film bashes every aspect of Hollywood, from angry producers to the Oscars. And if we can’t laugh at ourselves, then we truly are in a depressed society.
-----The film starts out with what may be the funniest part of the whole movie, mock trailers and advertisements. Whether it’s a commercial for Alpa Chino’s (yes, Alpa-space-Chino) Booty Sweat Energy Drink, or a trailer for ‘Scorcher VII,’ the opening sequences will have you roaring with laughter. The movie continues on the set of epic war movie ‘Tropic Thunder’ based off the book by veteran ‘Four Leaf’ Tayback (Nick Nolte). The director, played effectively by Steve Coogan can’t handle the egos of his pre-Madonna stars. Ben Stiller plays the typical action star, Tug Speedman; Jack Black portrays gross-out comedian, famous for his flatulence, Jeff Portnoy; and Robert Downey Jr. is one of the funniest characters in cinematic history as critically acclaimed Australian actor, Kirk Lazarus. When producer Les Grossman (played in an excellent turn by nearly unrecognizable Tom Cruise) is fed up and ready to pull the plug, drastic measures are called for to save the film. Real war hero ‘Four Leaf’ has the idea to throw the actors out in the jungle and film the whole thing “gorilla style.” Desperate, director Damien Cockburn (Coogan) quickly agrees. Comic gold ensues.
-----Ben Stiller proves again as he did with ‘Zoolander’ that he can effectively herald a star filled comedy classic with seeming ease. However, despite the many great performances that make this movie the classic it is, Downey Jr. steals the movie. He is such a convincing African American (and Australian for that matter) that you can’t help but laugh at every word that comes out of his mouth. It’s politically incorrect in nearly every way to have someone who isn’t black play a black person, and it’s this non-conformist attitude that makes the whole film as classic and fun as it is. The ‘Blazing Saddles’ of its time (though considerably funnier and less slapstick), it dares go where other films dare not. This is the film that stopped ‘The Dark Knight’s’ three week domination at the top of the Box Office, and went on a run of its’ own. You need to see this film not only because it’s a comedy classic, but also so you can understand what all the hype is about, and decide where you stand in the controversy that has risen around the movie.
-----Oscar Watch: Downey Jr. and Cruise both received Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor Nominations for their turns in this film as Lazarus and Grossman respectively. And Downey Jr.’s should definitely carry over to the Oscars. He may even have had a chance at winning it too, if it weren’t for the crude subject matter and of course, Ledger’s revolutionary performance in fellow Box Office juggernaut, ‘The Dark Knight.’
