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Tropic Thunder - Review Hot

Movie Reviews

Release Date: August 13, 2008
Studio: Paramount Pictures • Dreamworks
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: Action • Comedy • Drama
Director: Ben Stiller
Writers: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T. Jackson, Ben Stiller, Steve Coogan, Danny R. McBride, Bill Hader, Nick Nolte, Christine Taylor, Tom Cruise
Synopsis: Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.
The Review: I've been back from San Diego for over a week now and I'm still processing part of the whole experience. I wish I could blame it all on the copious amounts of booze but even if it was dry country my brain, would still be fried by the sheer volume of information input over such a short period of time. It’s sort of like being Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic…but way cooler.

During the trip I took a night off of partying (sort of) to just kick back and take in a movie. Being that it’s comic con I had a wide array of choices to go with and Tropic Thunder was exactly what I was looking for that night. I wanted to laugh my ass off, see some shit blow up, and watch Robert Downey Jr either go completely off the rails or pull off something few others can.

In true Comic Con style Ben, Jack, and Robert made an onscreen introduction for the film where they challenged Ben’s Fanboy-Hood, bickered at each other, and Robert offered up a contest to come over as Tony Stark to some lucky ladies house and “Get up in her”. With any luck it’ll find a place on the DVD release later.

The film gets off to a rockin good start with fake commercials and trails featuring the “actors” of Tropic Thunder, all of which are hysterical and none of which I will spoil for you. It sets you up for these characters in a neat tight little package and it’s damn funny.

The plot of course is exactly what you see in the trailers; a couple of prima dona actors and one hack director get some bad advice from the ever freakish Nick Nolte to take the film and put it “in the shit”where high jinx and hilarity ensue.

While the plot is pretty low brow all around, how they pull it all off isn’t, it’s smart and funny despite the goofball framework. Watching these guys really sink into the roles and play it straight (for laughs) is exactly the kind of fun you walk in craving for after a summer of tent pole films and popcorn flicks.

Ben is best when he’s playing a character as opposed to a role. As Spock would say “it’s his first best destiny” he’s the ultimate straight man, funny guy and victim of his own machinations. He plays small characters who think they are bigger and badder than they are and watching them fall is always fun.

Jack plays the sad clown of the group; he’s a funny man stuck trading flatulence for laughs in a fat suit (sounds familiar somehow) but he’s got a dark secret behind those puppy dog eyes and doughboy body. While some would say this is just Jack playing Jack there is a twist to this role that sets up quite a bit of laughs, but I won’t spoil this for you either.

Robert on the other hand is the reason I picked this movie over the several open bars around the gas lamp district. I’ve always been a fan of Downey and have been so thrilled at his phoenix like rise from the ashes of his career. Given how much work he’s done and what a great year he’s had I had some concern his turn as a white actor playing a black character could so easily been misconstrued as some form of black face and he and Stiller would both catch hell for it. It’s handled pretty straight forward and with sensitivity…and damn hilarious. Kirk Lazarus is one of the funniest characters to hit screens in a long while. Robert really can pull just about any role in town..and now he has proof.

Nick Nolte plays it creepy as always but here he’s pitch perfect for it and works the role for all it’s worth.

Danny McBride plays the explosively (pun intended) pyrotechnic freakjob of the production who is simply a man who loves to blow shit up and deliver each line with exuberance and sheer glee. The guy is having a phenomenal year and it’ll be great to see what he does next.

I know a ton of reviews are going to go on at length about Tom Cruise’s part in this madhouse, but I’m putting his stuff as G12 Classified and just let you enjoy the surprise..and it is a surprise let me tell ya.

With any good Ben Stiller film this thing is insanely quotable and will be for years as it takes its place next to Zoolander as his most beloved characters. This is a solid comedy with characters and layered humor we haven’t seen in a while. Grab a can of Booty Sweat and Enjoy.

Overall: Tropic Thunder Captures Comedy Lightening In A Bottle.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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