I've been wanting to see Ben Stiller's new comedy 'Tropic Thunder' for some time. The trailers in the months leading up to the film's release have been brilliant, and I was encouraged by the generally excellent reviews. There is much to love about this film, but not all of it works.
The story is simple: a group of pampered, spoiled actors are attached to a Vietnam War film. In desperation, the exasperated director decides to film the movie guerilla style by putting the actors out in the real jungle and filming with camcorders. One thing leads to another, and the troupe of actors wander dangerously into the territory of ruthless druglords. All the while they think they are still acting in a movie. Great premise, and with a cast that includes Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black, it seems that it can't miss. 'Tropic Thunder' also has a great supporting cast, with Matthew McConaughey doing a wonderfully sleezy turn as a Hollywood agent. One of the wittiest parts of the film is the very beginning, before the credits, with faux previews featuring each of the actors.
A lot of the film is very funny. Director Stiller is clearly having a blast lampooning the entire movie industry, from self-important actors to mercenary producers to slimy agents to rappers-wanna-be-actors. When the film sticks to straight satire, it works beautifully. It only gets in trouble when it tries to have an actual story. The premise is really enough, they didn't need to try and add plot and character development. In fact, I think it would have been funnier had these actors not learned a damn thing from their experiences by the end of the film and remained as selfish and clueless as they were at the beginning.
ABOVE: Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.) tries to comfort a wounded Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller)
The real star here is Robert Downey, Jr. He's had a hell of a year. Downey plays actor Kirk Lazarus, a very serious, 5-time Oscar winning Australian actor who takes Method Acting to new levels. In order to play a black officer in 'Nam, Lazarus undergoes surgery to dye his skin black. Further, he refuses to break character no matter what happens. Downey delicately pulls off a potentially offensive role beautifully. There are some great ongoing exchanges between Lazarus and Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), a black rapper turned actor who is understandably annoyed by Lazarus' attempts at black authenticity. (Chino insists on trying to plug his energy drink Booty Sweat in every scene that he can, nevermind that this is supposed to be a Vietnam period piece.)
One of the best scenes is when Lazarus and washed-up action star Tugg Speedman (Stiller) are discussing the pros and cons of playing mentally challenged characters. Speedman had recently played a retarded character in a film called 'Simple Jack', which bombed at the box office. Speedman had delusions that playing retarded characters was a sure ticket to the Oscars. Lazarus launches into a hilarious lecture on how to win awards in Hollywood when playing disabled characters. He tells Speedman that the character must retain some sort of special skill desired by "normal" people ("like Hoffman counting cards in 'Rain Man'"; "never go full retard," he admonishes.
Like I said, the film works best when it is being a straight satire and lampooning the film industry. It runs into trouble when it veers off and tries to add real drama. They had already established these caricatures of actors so well early on, that it is hard to believe (and kind of disappointing) that these characters would grow up and become mature adults.
***1/2 out of *****
3 comments:
I did not give this movie as high a rating as you did. I think it had a lot of potential, but it just did not work. Downey Jr was very good, but his character could have been funnier. Tom Cruise was good, but the character could have been better. there were definitely some great moments and one liners, but eh . . .
I've said this elsewhere, but again, for me the shocked expression on that pandas face was worth the price of admission. Also funny: the way Stiller's special effects hands peeled back like bannanas after he tried to catch the grenade. That's the stuff in the movie that worked for me. Many other things didn't. In fact, that may everything.
I think you have to be in the right mood to laugh at a lot of it, or have a really low-brow sense of humor like me. Perhaps, Pochy, you would be better entertained by a pithy volume of Oscar Wilde read by the fire in smoking jacket, slippers, and meerschaum pipe. Perhaps attenda jaunty production of Tartuffe?
Bananna hands, heh heh.
No I like low brow more than I care to admit. I just though this movie did not work. I did laugh my ass off at the end when Ben Stiller thought the village would accept him with open arms, then comes running back with the toddler clinging on to him stabbing him repeatedly in the shoulder.
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