2008 comedyRating: 13/20
Plot: With a big budget and big-name actors, a director attempts to film the story of a Vietnam War hero. Problems with that budget and with those actors drives the director and some of the crew into the wild to improvise and add some realism to the shoot. Unfortunately, the actors find themselves in the territory of some murderous drug smugglers. Oh, snap!
Me after the first 15 minutes of Tropic Thunder: Ha ha ha! Ha ha ho ha! This might be the funniest movie I've ever seen!
Me from minute 16 on: Oh, no! What happened? This thing's lost steam and has really turned into a mess! Oh, wait. Ha ho! That was sort of funny.
Yeah, I don't know what went wrong. There was a real spunk at the beginning of this and laughs aplenty, the humor somehow managing to work as this stupidly clever hybrid. Or a cleverly stupid. Then it seemed to lose that adventurous spirit and that edge and became sort of like every other comedy like this. Lots of really funny moments peppered throughout, of course, but unfortunately, a lot of script work was needed. Good cast though. And most impressive is maybe that the actors weren't all trying to overdo it, to outfunny each other. This could have been a really obnoxious movie. And I will say this: Robert Downey Jr. might be the best actor alive. He continues to take risks and show off a versatility that's impossible not to appreciate. Maybe it's the drugs?
i'd pump this up to 15 but pretty much agree...i saw it in the theatre and that always adds a couple points..the opening ads and trailers were totally effective in theatre...
ReplyDeleteAh, man...I forgot to add a "Recommended by winter rates" at the bottom of this one. I did mean to do that.
ReplyDeleteSorry Mr.O'Toole, Mr. DeNiro, Mr.Pacino, Mr.Hoffman, Mr.Hackman. You'll have to move over for freakin' Robert Downey Jr.! That might be the silliest thing you have ever written in your entire life. Now to the film.
ReplyDeleteThis is a strange movie. I loved the trailers, the concept, Downey Jr., the star supporting roles (Cruise and McConaughey are terrifc) and Stiller in his role as a retarded man. Unfortunately, it should have remained a scathing, tongue-in-cheek comedy instead of a movie with a heart and a completely unbelievable action climax. Overall a 14 with some 20 scenes.
Perhaps I should have phrased that better...the actor currently doing the most consistently great work. I haven't seen O'Toole's latest, but the other names (exception might be Hackman) are arguably past their prime and phoning it in. When's Hoffman been brilliant this century? Was it the voice work he did for 'Kung Fu Panda' or 'Racing Stripes'? Pacino? Is he really that good in 'Gigli'? I didn't see his role in the Shakespeare movie ('Merchant of Venice,' I think) but I haven't really watched Pacino lately and bee all that impressed. I did really like Hackman in 'Tennenbaums' but can't remember what else he's done lately. And DeNiro...see Pacino, Al. I did say "one of the best," and I gave a valid reason (versatility)...would you argue with either of those two statements?
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how quiet Jack Black seemed in this movie. More over-the-top performances by him and Stiller and I would have despised 'Tropic Thunder'...Downey Jr.'s over-the-top performance is fine, however, because he's the greatest human being who has ever walked the earth.
Oh, I did like Tom Cruise in this. Didn't even know it was him at first. I always hate McConaughey though.
I posted a comment last night, but I must have screwed it up.
ReplyDeleteNow that you rephrased it, I will back away from the "silliest" statement, but I still can't agree (shock). Downey is doing a lot of varied and very good work... 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang', 'Zodiac', 'Iron Man' and 'Tropic Thunder' ('A Scanner Darkly' sucked), but except for this role I see him as more of a personality instead of a great actor. His mannerisms and cadences are too consistent, no matter the role (again, except for the latest). I just think he is doing a great job picking great material right now. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.
You did say "one of", but a few that I would choose way over Downey might be Daniel Day Lewis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Johhny Depp and even Tom Hanks.
By the way, I'm bummed you guys might not make it out. I had a bunch of stuff to give you and we had a few issues to hash out ('Schindler's List', etc.).
ReplyDeleteLet me see 'Schindler's List' again...I'll grab it early next year. I'm planning on continuing the blog, but I need another goal.
ReplyDeleteI like Hoffman, but when you mentioned "cadences and mannerisms" being "too consistent," I actually thought that applied more to him than Downey Jr. Other than 'Capote' that is. Love Lewis and Depp, but I really don't think Tom Hanks is all that.