The curse of 'semi-spoof' strikes again...

Rating: 6/10 (21 November 2008)

Why do so many Ben Stiller movies, along with Will Ferrell movies, have to be so OTT and goofy?
I was cautiously enjoying Tropic Thunder right up until a certain point (about a third of the way in)... As up until then, the film had been entertaining and tongue-in-cheek without being pointlessly wacky But then the 'semi-spoof' tone really started to take hold.
Will Ferrell's films are perhaps better examples of the semi-spoof phenomenon though, as they often seem to get stuck between being a decent comedy and a goofy spoof comedy (a spoof comedy like some Wayans brothers drivel) Modern comedy, stuff made for the masses, has a tendency to sink into a swamp of unnecessary silliness...
Now, I'm not against OTT scenes in general I like that stuff when it's done well I just hate the way that everything sort of becomes nonsensical by the end of these films- as though having lots of zany antics is the primary goal Good comedies (IMO) are things like Groundhog Day, Trading Places, Midnight Run, Ghostbusters etc etc Films that are very funny but don't make a complete joke of the central concept by repeatedly descending into spoof...
As I say, I was really getting into Tropic Thunder as a decent comedy film, especially the dialogue between Stiller and RDJ etc Yet rather than things getting more interesting and characters really getting fleshed out, things just got sillier and less plausible at every turn. In the end, despite lots of potential and some amusing moments, the film wasn't at all satisfying...
I know that some people will be thinking to themselves "But it's a comedy! Just enjoy it!" Or something But I've already explained why I didn't really enjoy it I want to watch a DECENT comedy for a change! Not just the next in a long line of eye-roll inducing semi-spoofs
And 'decent' doesn't mean it has to be all straight-laced and meaningful (Happy Gilmore has got lots of silly things in it for instance, but I still enjoyed that) I just mean a funny film that also has a passable story and a consistent tone.
I felt Tropic Thunder started out quite strong It seemed funny and 'knowing' sort of like a big budget version of Ricky Gervais' series 'Extras' by the end though, it felt more like Wayans brothers material.