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IMDbPro

Tropic Thunder

  • 20082008
  • 18A18A
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
415K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,034
42
Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, and Jack Black in Tropic Thunder (2008)
Trailer for Tropic
Play trailer2:30
13 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionComedyWar
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
415K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,034
42
  • Director
    • Ben Stiller
  • Writers
    • Justin Theroux(screenplay)
    • Ben Stiller(screenplay)
    • Etan Cohen(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Stiller
    • Jack Black
    • Robert Downey Jr.
  • Director
    • Ben Stiller
  • Writers
    • Justin Theroux(screenplay)
    • Ben Stiller(screenplay)
    • Etan Cohen(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Stiller
    • Jack Black
    • Robert Downey Jr.
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 711User reviews
    • 322Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 10 wins & 47 nominations total

    Videos13

    Tropic Thunder
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Trailer 2:27
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 0:32
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 1:04
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 0:44
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 1:07
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 0:56
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 1:06
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Clip 1:07
    Watch Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder
    Interview 0:35
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    Tropic Thunder
    Interview 0:32
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    Tropic Thunder
    Interview 0:46
    Watch Tropic Thunder

    Photos244

    Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, Jay Baruchel, Jack Black, and Brandon T. Jackson in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Jack Black and Brandon T. Jackson in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Jay Baruchel in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Jay Baruchel in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Ben Stiller and Steve Coogan in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Nick Nolte and Bill Hader in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, and Brandon T. Jackson in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Nick Nolte and Steve Coogan in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Ben Stiller and Jack Black in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Robert Downey Jr. and Steve Coogan in Tropic Thunder (2008)
    Jack Black in Tropic Thunder (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ben Stiller
    Ben Stiller
    • Tugg Speedman - Hot LZ
    Jack Black
    Jack Black
    • Jeff Portnoy - Hot LZ
    Robert Downey Jr.
    Robert Downey Jr.
    • Kirk Lazarus - Hot LZ
    Jeff Kahn
    Jeff Kahn
    • Snooty Waiter - Fatties Trailer
    Anthony Ruivivar
    Anthony Ruivivar
    • Platoon Sergeant Shot in Head - Hot LZ
    Jay Baruchel
    Jay Baruchel
    • Kevin Sandusky - Hot LZ
    Brandon T. Jackson
    Brandon T. Jackson
    • Alpa Chino - Hot LZ
    Eric Winzenried
    Eric Winzenried
    • Chopper Pilot - Hot LZ
    Steve Coogan
    Steve Coogan
    • Damien Cockburn - Vietnam Crew
    Valerie Azlynn
    Valerie Azlynn
    • Damien's Assistant - Vietnam Crew
    Matt Levin
    Matt Levin
    • Cameraperson - Vietnam Crew
    David Pressman
    David Pressman
    • First Assistant Director - Vietnam Crew
    Amy Stiller
    Amy Stiller
    • Script Supervisor - Vietnam Crew
    Danny McBride
    Danny McBride
    • Cody - Vietnam Crew
    Dempsey Silva
    • Special Effects Assistant - Vietnam Crew
    Bill Hader
    Bill Hader
    • Studio Executive Rob Slolom - Vietnam Crew
    Nick Nolte
    Nick Nolte
    • Four Leaf Tayback - Vietnam Crew
    Jeff Weidemann
    • Speedman Assistant - Vietnam Crew
    • (as Jeff Weideman)
    • Director
      • Ben Stiller
    • Writers
      • Justin Theroux(screenplay) (story)
      • Ben Stiller(screenplay) (story)
      • Etan Cohen(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ben Stiller said nearly all aspects of the Les Grossman character were developed by Tom Cruise, including the dancing and the look of the make-up. Stiller said that in addition to the more obvious make-up effects applied to Cruise's face and head, and the extra hair on his chest and arms, Cruise also decided to play the character wearing oversized prosthetic hands.
    • Goofs
      The drug traffickers encountered late in the film, despite being in Laos (Sandusky estimates they're not in Vietnam anymore), speak Mandarin Chinese - a fact noted by Kirk, who uses his crappy knowledge of it to attempt to bluff his way into the heroin plant.
    • Quotes

      Les Grossman: First, take a big step back... and literally, FUCK YOUR OWN FACE! I don't know what kind of pan-pacific bullshit power play you're trying to pull here, but Asia Jack is my territory. So whatever you're thinking, you'd better think again! Otherwise I'm gonna have to head down there and I will rain down an un-Godly fucking firestorm upon you! You're gonna have to call the fucking United Nations and get a fucking binding resolution to keep me from fucking destroying you. I'm talking scorched earth, motherfucker! I will massacre you! I WILL FUCK YOU UP!

    • Crazy credits
      Movie begins with advertisement and fake trailers where the "actors" appear.
    • Alternate versions
      There is a director's extended cut which is available on the 3-disc special edition in the UK which contains more footage - runtime of overall film is 116 minutes on back of DVD case.
    • Connections
      Edited into Yoostar 2: In the Movies (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      I Love Tha Pussy
      Written by Darryl Farmer, Ronald Jackson, Brandon T. Jackson, Cisco Adler & Micah Givens

      Performed by Brandon T. Jackson

    User reviews711

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    11 years later, it still holds up to me
    I saw this movie in theaters and fell in love with it. I've seen it many times throughout the years and have noticed most people either don't know or don't care for this film. After rewatching it yesterday, I just had to write about it.

    The casting was incredible in my opinion. People think of Ocean's Eleven or The Departed as movies with dream casts. I think Tropic Thunder holds its own. Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey are solid minor/supporting characters. I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, but I find myself quoting all of his Les Grossman lines consistently. Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Bill Hader and Danny McBride are great additions. Jay Baruchel is his usual self, Brandon T Jackson was a solid part of the mix and the three main leads really deliver. Special mention to RDJ, by far my favorite performance. It's ridiculous how many layers there are to his character. At some point he's an Australian actor playing a Black guy playing an Asian farmer.

    Almost every single scene has a quotable line. The action is very well done and the story's so wonderfully over the top.

    I think the biggest win is how well it has aged in my opinion. Movies like The Hangover were really funny when they came out, but I find there's no replay value. The jokes don't work well the second time around. The same goes for something like Deadpool. On the other hand, films like Borat, Anchorman and Tropic Thunder still make me laugh regardless of how many times I've seen it.

    I wish Ben Stiller would go back to doing stuff like this. A Les Grossman sequel would've been absolutely incredible!
    helpful•133
    11
    • djgali21
    • Apr 1, 2019

    FAQ12

    • Is "Tropic Thunder" based on a book?
    • Are any of the characters based on real people?
    • What is "blackface"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 13, 2008 (Canada)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • Germany
    • Official sites
      • DreamWorks / Paramount (France)
      • DreamWorks (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • Tonnerre sous les tropiques
    • Filming locations
      • Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dreamworks Pictures
      • Red Hour Films
      • Goldcrest Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $92,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $110,515,313
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $25,812,796
      • Aug 17, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $195,702,963
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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