Tropic Thunder (2008)

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

Writers:

Justin Theroux (screenplay), Ben Stiller (screenplay)

Stars:

Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 43 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Kahn	...	Snooty Waiter - Fatties Trailer
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Kirk Lazarus - Hot LZ
Anthony Ruivivar	...	Platoon Sergeant Shot in Head - Hot LZ
Jack Black	...	Jeff Portnoy - Hot LZ
Jay Baruchel	...	Kevin Sandusky - Hot LZ
Brandon T. Jackson	...	Alpa Chino - Hot LZ
Ben Stiller	...	Tugg Speedman - Hot LZ
Eric Winzenried	...	Chopper Pilot - Hot LZ
Steve Coogan	...	Damien Cockburn - Vietnam Crew
Valerie Azlynn	...	Damien's Assistant - Vietnam Crew
Matt Levin	...	Cameraperson - Vietnam Crew
David Pressman	...	First Assistant Director - Vietnam Crew
Amy Stiller	...	Script Supervisor - Vietnam Crew
Danny McBride	...	Cody - Vietnam Crew
Dempsey Silva	...	Special Effects Assistant - Vietnam Crew

Storyline

Action movie star Tugg Speedman is on the downslide of his professional career. He wants to be considered a serious actor, but his latest serious role as the title character in "Simple Jack" resulted in negative reviews and ridicule. Comedian Jeff Portnoy is best known for his leading roles in sophomoric comedies, and may be less well known for his rampant drug use. Five time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus is a serious method actor, who immerses himself in whatever the role. On location in southeast Vietnam, they are the stars of "Tropic Thunder", based on Vietnam war veteran 'Four Leaf' Tayback's memoirs of his rescue during the war, that rescue which was considered a near suicide mission for the assigned army force and resulted in him losing both hands. For his role, Caucasian Australian Lazarus even went through a controversial surgical skin dying procedure so that he could convincingly play a black man. Production is not going well since rookie director Damien Cockburn is unable to ...

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Plot Keywords:

parody | vietnam | film director | spoof | written and directed by cast member | 

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Taglines:

The movie they think they're making... isn't a movie anymore.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material

Details

Official Sites:

DreamWorks / Paramount [France] DreamWorks [United States]

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

13 August 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Una guerra de película

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$92,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,812,796, 17 August 2008, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$110,515,313

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$188,072,649

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks,Red Hour Films,Goldcrest Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min 121 min (unrated director's cut)

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film, Damien's surname "Cockburn" is pronounced phonetically (probably for humorous effect), whereas it is properly pronounced "Coh-burn".

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Goofs

When Lazarus and Alpa Chino is at the hill looking down at the heroin camp, Kurt is using an ACOG scope to look at the camp, this would be wrong since their characters are supposed be using equipment from the Vietnam era. The ACOG scope was issued to troops during 2003 onwards.

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Quotes

Kirk Lazarus: You gonna focus up now, motherfucker and say it! "It's me, Tugg!"
Tugg Speedman: It's Me Tugg.
Kirk Lazarus: That's right! Now, Tugg who?
Tugg Speedman: Tugg who? I don't know. Who are you?
Kirk Lazarus: Me? I know who I am. I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude.
Kevin Sandusky: What?
Kirk Lazarus: You a dude that don't know what dude he is!
Tugg Speedman: Or are you a dude who has no idea what dude he is and claims to know what dude he is...
Jeff Portnoy: What the fuck are you guys talking about?
Tugg Speedman: ...by playing other dudes.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Movie begins with advertisement and fake trailers where the "actors" appear.

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Connections

Spoofs Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)

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Soundtracks

Low
Written by Flo Rida, Montay Humphrey, Korey Roberson, Howard Simmons & T-Pain (as T-Pain)
Performed by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (as T-Pain)
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group & TV Licensing
T-Pain appears courtesy of Jive Records
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

User Reviews

Best comedy in years.

I just got out of a midnight showing and I was absolutely blown away. I fully expect this to be a mediocre movie at best, but it surprised me in all aspects. It was well directed, acted, the action scenes were actually very well done and pretty epic, and most of all it was hilarious. I doubt I stopped laughing for more than a minute or two. I don't want to give anything away so I will keep it brief, but do yourself a favor and see this in theaters with friends.

PS. As a black man, I did not find Robert Downey Jr.'s character offensive at all. He was probably the most hilarious character in the movie.