Formulaic comedy, but with some brilliant acting

Rating: 6/10 (17 August 2008)

This movie is a typical American comedy - meaning that the plot is completely predictable, it relies on a lot of disgusting visuals and bathroom material for its humor, and many of the jokes fall flat. The reason I rated it as highly as I did is because Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise, ironically the only NON-comedic actors in the group, are both hilarious. Downey, in particular, as an Australian superstar who immerses himself completely in his role as a stereotypical African-American Vietnam-era soldier, is ingenious in this film. He has some of the most brilliant comedic dialogue I've ever heard. I laughed nearly every time he opened his mouth, as did everyone else in the audience. And Cruise, virtually unrecognizable in his costume, is great as a studio executive who sees himself as a gangsta. Nick Nolte, playing the Vietnam vet who wrote the book on which the film they're making is based, has some great scenes early on. And it's a shame that Steve Coogan exits the story so early on, as he had the potential to bring a lot more to the movie. Everyone else in the cast is pretty average. Ben Stiller is a washed-up action hero trying to save his career, although nothing he does on screen is particularly memorable. Jack Black is a heroin-addicted teen comedy star trying to make it as a serious actor, but unfortunately he isn't given much to do. I don't know what the producers thought was funny about watching a man go through heroin withdrawal for 107 minutes, but Black is never allowed to get beyond that. Jay Baruchel is basically there to play the straight man, while the actual African-American actor, Brandon Jackson, who is given about six lines of dialogue, is clearly only there to ease the producers' conscience about having a White man in blackface in their movie. Matthew McConaughey, as Stiller's agent, is only there as eye candy for the ladies (and to provide an unlikely deus ex machina at the movie's climax). There's not much else to say about this movie - the plot is trite and ridiculous, although film buffs who, like me, are burnt out on Vietnam films will appreciate the many references to "Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now," some of which are quite subtle.