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Tropic Thunder (2008) 7.0
Ratings:
7.0/10 from 256,098 users
Metascore: 71/100
Reviews: 558 user | 308 critic | 39 from Metacritic.com 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. Director:Ben Stiller |
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jeff Kahn | ... | ||
| Robert Downey Jr. | ... | ||
| Anthony Ruivivar | ... | ||
| Jack Black | ... | ||
| Jay Baruchel | ... | ||
| Brandon T. Jackson | ... | ||
| Ben Stiller | ... | ||
| Eric Winzenried | ... | ||
| Steve Coogan | ... | ||
| Valerie Azlynn | ... | ||
| Matt Levin | ... |
Cameraperson - Vietnam Crew
|
|
| David Pressman | ... |
First Assistant Director - Vietnam Crew
|
|
 |
Amy Stiller | ... |
Script Supervisor - Vietnam Crew
|
| Danny McBride | ... | ||
|
|
Dempsey Silva | ... |
Special Effects Assistant - Vietnam Crew
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
A film crew is in Southeast Asia filming a Vietnam-war memoir. It's early in the shooting, but they're already behind schedule and over budget. On the day an accident befalls the novice director, the cast and crew are attacked by a gang of poppy-growing local drug dealers, except the cast and crew don't realize these aren't actors who are stalking them. The thugs kidnap Tugg Speedman, an actor whose star seems on the decline, and it's up to the rest of the ragtag team to band together long enough to attempt his rescue. But will Tugg want to leave? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Taglines:
The movie they think they're making... isn't a movie anymore. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Release Date:
13 August 2008 (Canada) See more »Also Known As:
Tonnerre sous les tropiques See more »Box Office
Budget:
$92,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£2,483,568 (UK) (19 September 2008)Gross:
$110,416,702 (USA) (7 November 2008)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (unrated director's cut)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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(1723)
Written by Antonio Vivaldi (uncredited)
Performed by Capella Istropolitana
Courtesy of Naxos
By Arrangement with Source/Q
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Tom Cruise co-stars as a vulgar movie mogul in this movie. Ben Stiller played Cruise in a sketch on Saturday Night Live in which Cruise played "Celebrity Jeopardy" and also played Cruise's idiotic stunt double "Tom Croose" in a sketch at the 2000 MTV movie awards. See more »Goofs
When Kirk says "I think I might be nobody," you can see Sandusky in the background lower his gun at this quote, then in the next shot, he lowers his gun again. See more »Quotes
Les Grossman: Look, fuckstick, I'm incredibly busy. So why don't you get the hell out of here before I snap your dick off and jam it into your ass...See more »
Crazy Credits
Movie begins with advertisement and fake trailers where the "actors" appear. See more »Soundtracks
The Four Seasons: 'Spring' - Allegro(1723)
Written by Antonio Vivaldi (uncredited)
Performed by Capella Istropolitana
Courtesy of Naxos
By Arrangement with Source/Q
See more »
Damn, is Robert Downey Jr. on a roll… Rarely (if they occur at all) have comebacks been so bold and so memorable. When slated to star as Tony Stark in May's Iron Man which kicked off the blockbuster season with a bang and a slap, the public, excluding his die-hard supporters of course, were baffled at the atypical casting choice of the Marvel hero. For myself, I have always loved Downey Jr. from his excellent portrayal as Charlie Chapin, to his perfectly suited role in Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, he is always the best thing about a film. Lightening struck again (or I suppose first, if you want to follow his career chronologically) midyear with his smart portrayal as an overprotective principal in Charlie Bartlet, so it only seems suitable for him to cap off the summer with his best work yet.
Directed by, and starring Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder is an epically vast improvement over the suicide inducing effort that was Zoolander and finds Stiller in his best comedic acting form since Meet the Parents. Our adventure follows a group of primadonna actors who are shooting a high budget war epic in Vietnam. As director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) sees his funds draining and his production falling apart at the hands of the maddeningly inept cast, the inspiration for the movie "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte) suggests that the film would be better shot guerrilla style using hidden cameras and some improvisation. But, after a series of unfortunate (but hilarious) events leave the troupe stranded, they must both save the picture which their careers are riding on, and possibly themselves at the same time. Adding the flavour to this endeavour are Tugg Speedman (Stiller) as a flailing action has-been, Jack Black, who has also had a successful year, as Jeff Portnoy, an Eddie Murphy-esquire comic, Apatow regular Jay Baruchel as Kevin Sandusky, rapper turned actor Alpha Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and of course Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr.) as the Oscar winning method actor. We also get career high cameo and supporting work from various familiar Hollywood faces, Mathew McConaughey and the much buzzed appearance by Tom Cruise, who is simply fantastic.
The most satisfying aspect of Tropic Thunder is that despite show stealing work from Cruise and Downey Jr. everyone gets their slice of the comedy pie. One actor is never in the spotlight too much, and nobody hogs the funny too much. And boy is there a lot of funny; this film is one of, if not the best satire made about Hollywood and the jokes come high and low, subtly and bluntly, and they almost always strike home. Controversy has been in the air surrounding both Downey Jr.'s blackface portrayal as an African American and gags surrounding a film Tugg Speedman had previously filmed in which he was mentally handicapped. While it is inevitable that some will be offended, it is important to remember that both of these jabs are not against such groups, but against Hollywood who churns out method actors who take their job with a block of salt, not a grain. Even complaints I have read regarding this film I see as intentional inclusions by Stiller, who I believe has been in the business too long to have done such without careful thought and consideration.
The film starts without warning with a series of phony trailers featuring the stars of the feature, and are some of the funniest segments I have ever seen, especially that of Downey Jr.'s. Tropic Thunder does not let up however as the ready to quote one-lines, again mostly from Downey Jr. and Cruise, come so fast you will have to make a list once the film has concluded. All in all, this picture is what we needed, a biting satire/spoof that doesn't have the word Movie after it. With a similar action/comedy hybrid formula as this year's Pineapple Express (which both star Danny McBride), Tropic Thunder pours on the laughs like a storm and presents a wit that is nothing less then lightening quick.
View all my reviews at Simon Says Movie Reviews: www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com