The funniest work from Ben Stiller as an actor, writer, and director

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2010)

Ben Stiller is one of my favorite actors out there, and shows some real ambitious work in writing, directing, and producing Tropic Thunder. This movie is not trying to be offensive to anyone. Stiller's movie is making fun of all the different kinds of actors.
The opening is hilarious in smart in introducing who all of these characters are. From the commercial for Alpa Chino and his Booty Sweat drink to the fake trailers, Stiller shows us who these characters are.
Stiller plays Tugg Speedman, an actor well-known for doing a lot of action movies hoping to show some serious acting work. Stiller is funny in his portrayal as an actor who has hit every high and low point in an acting career. Tugg Speedman is still vying to be a serious actor even after his director Damien Cockburn, played by Steve Coogan, dies from stepping on a land mine.
Jack Black is funny as Jeff Portnoy, a well known comedic actor who is trying to show that he is serious. He is funny with some parts, but Black doesn't have that much to do.
Robert Downey Jr. steals the show as Kirk Lazarus, a 5 time Oscar winning actor who takes every role he does really seriously. Kirk Lazarus is so serious that he goes through pigment changes to play the platoon's African American sargeant. Downey is brilliant and has the funniest lines including: "I know who I am. I'm the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude." He is that good that I don't think anyone else could play that role as well as Robert Downey Jr. has.
Tom Cruise also steals the show as Les Grossman, a really mean executive producer with the dirtiest mouth ever. Tom Cruise is just flat out hilarious and nobody can do the dances that he does. Cruise shows that he can do some real comedy.
There are also some funny characters in Alpa Chino, as the rapper who is trying to make it as an actor, and in Kevin Sandusky, a young aspiring actor who is working with his idols.
Stiller is not trying to make fun of anyone other than actors, which is what Tropic Thunder is about. This movie is funny, original, and one of the best that Ben Stiller has done.