Before the ThunderComes the Madness

Rating: 10/10 (26 August 2008)

In my case the film summer started with "Iron Man" and just the following week with "Speed Racer". On 10 May 2008 I wrote my comment for "Speed Racer" and in it I wrote this to finish it: "I think this film and "Iron Man" will be my favourites of this year's summer, just waiting to see what "The Dark Knight" and the new stuff of Jack Black ("Tropic Thunder" and "Kung Fu Panda") will offer". I really was waiting to see this movie, which release was going to be last Friday on my city yet and I don't know why it wasn't released. Today I went to a pre-release screening (the official release will be this Friday) together with my uncle, my cousin and a friend really hoping to see the funniest movie of the year. We laughed a lot, truly a lot; "Tropic Thunder" is the funniest movie of 2008, until now of course, so definitely will be one of my choices for the best movies of 2008.
Probably everyone knows what "Tropic Thunder" is about but if not let's write something about it: the memories of some Vietnam veterans were turned into books but only one was sold to Hollywood, the book Tropic Thunder written by the hero John "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte). He is there on the set seeing as the hero he was and still is and everybody respect that but not when is time of business, not when he tries to say what to do to Hollywood producer Les Grossman and less when Grossman knows that his production is being a complete and really expensive mess. The director (Steve Coogan!!!) is British and for sure is new in Hollywood and is working in a set full of stars, even Oscar winners. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black (C*ck), Brandon T. Jackson and Jay Baruchel play Tugg Speedman, Kirk Lazarus, Jeff Fats Portnoy, Alpa Chino and Kevin Sandusky, respectively. In their habitat these actors can't enter in their characters, they need something more they need a more realistic environment and Tayback knows where is that place.
Downey Jr. has the most unique part; basically everything that Downey Jr. did to portray Kirk Lazarus is what Kirk Lazarus is doing to portray Sgt. Lincoln Osiris. Jack Black's character is the one who miss more Hollywood but Ben Stiller's character is Hollywood. Speedman was a star but now he has been losing the respect in Hollywood, he portrayed a character that went beyond Forrest Gump or Raymond Babbitt, that film is now considered as one of the worst ever but he found a place where his work is appreciate, sure in that place that film is the only available but is a fact that in that place Speedman is still a star, now that place is his home, far away from Hollywood. But before Speedman found his new home he was the only one who still trusted in Hollywood, still trusted in a script and that eventually will take him to the drug dealers. He is the classic hero, convinced in making the film yet in Hollywood his own life is not an important issue. Here, for me, Tom Cruise steals the film as that mentioned Hollywood producer. Is hilarious because after all he is a businessman and business is all he has in mind so when drug dealers treat him to make a pay since they have Speedman our producer ends like a hero and not because he saved Speedman. You have to see Cruise, just memorable. The ones that saved Speedman were the ones who had many problems, insecurity with themselves. After all they are just a bunch of actors lost not only in Hollywood but also in the jungle still they knew quickly what was all about but these actors had that issues that in the jungle will be exposed. Basically one is gay and he almost come out of the closet, other is a drug addict so you imagine him sober with all the anxiety and stuff and the other is pretty much just confused. The only one who is not a star is the only one who knows the script and the only who can command a bunch of Hollywood stars. After all nobody was expecting to find some great persons in those stars and nobody was expecting the truth of a hero, a man who probably is the best actor, a man who had never left the United States, a man who's full time character's name is John "Four Leaf" Tayback. But also every problem can be fixed and look at them, specially at Les Grossman, he was being the producer of the most expensive war movie never made and he ended dancing of happiness with a bunch of Academy Awards! Cast: this is a really familiar cast, Stiller and Black leads the gang but is Downey Jr. who steals the show. Just yesterday I saw "Knocked Up" so I quickly recognized Jay Baruchel and Bill Hader but anyway and as I wrote before is Tom Cruise who steals the entire picture! Maybe his best role since Frank T.J. Mackey or since John Anderton but anyway it is his funniest appearance ever, just behind his cartoon from South Park of course.
Conclusion: this is a hilarious movie; you will remember Oliver Stone, Francis Ford Coppola and some others even Ruggero Deodato. This is a movie about an unfinished movie that ends not only as a unique experience but also as an Academy Award winner documentary. I loved it, simply, and I want it's DVD!!!