The last of the big budget Hollywood films of the summer season, “Tropic Thunder” puts it all on the line creating a solid action/comedy which skews heavily male. This movie is not for the feint of heart or easily offended, though it is not as crass or tasteless as some recent parody films which aren’t even remotely humorous. Ben Stiller co-wrote, directed, and starred in this war movie within a war movie but he shares the spotlight with a talented, diverse cast. While much of the in-jokes are directed at the Hollywood movie-making industry - those in the business must have especially found it cutting - there is enough variety of humor to appeal to the general public as well.
Three big stars are hired to make a major war film together, an action hero-type called Tugg Speedman (Stiller), a critical favorite method actor named Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.; “Iron Man”), and a pampered comedian, Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black; “Nacho Libre”). Put on location in the Vietnamese jungle, a rookie director (Steve Coogan: “Night at the Museum”) is finding it impossible to control them and get the performances he needs. The writer of the source material based on his own life (Nick Nolte; “Hotel Rwanda”) suggests taking the cast out deep in the terrain and shoot the material “guerilla style” without cell phones and personal assistants. There are real dangers in the jungle that the movie folks are unaware of and each person slowly realizes they are now living the experiences they were acting.
The film has very good performances for a comedy. Downey Jr. is practically invisible beneath the make-up and baritone voice he uses to portray an African-American Sergeant in the squad. This could have been extremely controversial, but Stiller finds a way to create some of the funniest dialogue from this plot device. Black gets to go all out in his performance, completely losing his cool to funny and sometimes more dramatic effect. The real surprise break-out roles go to an over eager agent played by Matthew McConaughey - channeling Tom Cruise’s agent in “Jerry Maguire” - and Cruise himself as a rude, angry, micro-managing studio chief. You won’t be able to look at Cruise the same way again after seeing him in this grotesque but spot on role.
Ironically, Stiller has the least interesting character in the cast, playing a rather plain superstar who’s popularity has diminished. His character’s development makes for hit-or-miss comic moments. The story has some difficulties maintaining its believability, when it wants to operate as both perilous jungle picture while also being a send-up of that genre. Overall though, the acting and abundance of comedic material helps “Tropic Thunder” take the summer out with a bang.
Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material.
