Directed by:
Ben StillerCinematography:
John TollComposer:
Theodore ShapiroCast:
Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Steve Coogan, Bill Hader, Reggie Lee, Christine Taylor, Brandon T. Jackson (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Ben Stiller's satirical look at Hollywood, Tropic Thunder concerns the production of an epic Vietnam War film that quickly derails thanks to the giant egos of everyone involved in the production. Stiller stars as Tugg Speedman, an action hero trying to segue out of that genre. Jack Black plays Jeff Portnoy, a drug-addicted fat comic also attempting to change his image by taking on such a serious film. They star alongside Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), one of the world's most awarded actors, and a man who insists on immersing himself totally in a role. In this case, that means Lazarus has had his skin dyed in order to portray an African-American soldier. After their outrageous behavior lands the film's director, Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan), in very hot water with producer Les Grossman (Tom Cruise), Cockburn takes the advice of grizzled Vietnam vet Four Leaf Tayback (Nick Nolte); in order to gain control of his performers, Cockburn drops the actors off in the jungle, planning to film the movie guerrilla-style with hidden cameras. When the group stumbles upon a heroin production camp, the actors are unaware that they are in very real danger. (Paramount Pictures)
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Reviews (9)
Big American bullshit crammed with star names and wannabe cool catchphrases, barely half of which manage to entertain as originally intended. As for the actors, there really are no complaints, Stiller enjoys his role, Downey as a black man (sorry, as a nigger) is a treat in itself, and it's all topped off by Tom Cruise in his best role since Collateral. Unfortunately, as dynamic as the film is plot-wise – and even the action is good – it's awfully flat, with nowhere to latch on tightly, and the over-engineered humour bores rather than entertains. Tropic Thunder was supposed to be an unbeatable hit, but it's only a mediocre and unnecessarily bloated parody that plays at being more than it really is. 55%
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Stiller is getting smarter and smarter, and he can make fun of things you thought everyone had already made fun of enough a long time ago. After the modeling industry, Hollywood is taking the hit with such vigor it's chilling if it's really true. The excellent technical aspects are just the cream on the cake, but the cherry on top is Tom Cruise - at least for having the courage to make such an ass of himself, and with such grace that I would really give him the Golden Globe!
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I like Ben Stiller as an actor, but perhaps I like him even more as a director because he always manages to bring out the best in a film. In this case, it's a great critique of actors, executed in such a way that it's genuinely entertaining. Great actors were chosen for all roles, but you simply can't forget about Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise.
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An excellent comedy - just my cup of tea. Stiller rammed an incredible number of snappy lines, hidden surprises and a marvelously cussing Tom Cruise into Tropic Thunder. Even though the real powerhouse is Robert Downey Jr. who really lives his role of a guy who plays another guy and I personally hop that he gets an Oscar for it, which would be a crowning glory for this picture. P.S.: In the end I felt sorry for Jon Voigt. You could see just how much he wanted that gold statuette.
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I wasn't expecting this film to be anything special, and it wasn’t, but I had fun. The cast was great, except for Jack Black of course, I’m not a huge fan of his. Those who stood out in particular were Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus/Sgt. Osiris and surprisingly Tom Cruise, whose hairy Les Grossman with lumberjack arms was probably the funniest role I've ever seen Cruise play. The story had momentum, it was funny, which isn’t a given with comedies, and there were plenty of one-liners, so I have nothing to complain about.
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