Tropic Thunder

Plot synopsis:
A commercial depicts rapper Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) promoting his two brands -- the "Booty Sweat" energy drink and "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar -- while performing his hit song, "I Love Tha' Pussy." The first trailer shows action star Tugg Speedman's (Ben Stiller) latest film, Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown, a film so much like its five predecessors that even the trailer narrator sounds shaky about it. In another trailer, funnyman Jeff "Fatty" Portnoy (Jack Black) plays every member of "America's favorite obese family" in the highly flatulent The Fatties: Fart 2. The final trailer, for a film called Satan's Alley, features Australian "five-time Oscar winner" Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) and Tobey Maguire (as himself) as two monks who begin an impassioned affair.We are taken, via the narration of John "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte), into a gruesome battle of the Vietnam War. This is actually a scene from Tropic Thunder, a big-budget adaptation of Tayback's wartime memoir. Starring as the central platoon are Speedman, Lazarus, Chino and Portnoy, as well as young character actor Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel). To play the role of Sgt. Lincoln Osiris, an African American, Lazarus has dyed his skin dark and refuses to break character. ("I don't drop character 'till I done the DVD commentary.") A take of Osiris crying over Tayback's (Speedman's) blown-off hands is ruined when Speedman is unable to cry and Lazarus dribbles uncontrollably into Speedman's face. The ruined take causes great frustration for the film's director, Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan). The chaos is exacerbated when the film's pyrotechnics expert, Cody (Danny McBride), mistakes Cockburn's conniptions for a signal to set off several expensive explosions.Faux Access Hollywood clips reveal that Speedman's career has been on a downward spiral. In an attempt at Oscar-bait, Speedman had played the "retard" title character in a flop called Simple Jack, which is considered one of the worst films of all time. Meanwhile, much to the horror of Speedman's agent, Rick "Pecker" Peck (Matthew McConaughey), Speedman doesn't even have TiVO on location. Elsewhere, Cockburn is berated in a meeting, via satellite TV, by the belligerent studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise). With filming a month behind schedule only five days into shooting, the media has dubbed the production "the most expensive war movie never made." Cockburn tries to explain that the prima donna stars are what's dragging the production down, but Grossman is not sympathetic. Later, the real "Four-Leaf" Tayback, who has hooks for hands, takes Cockburn aside and suggests that he drop the actors in a real jungle and use Cody's explosives to inspire real fear in them. Cockburn enthusiastically agrees.Speedman, Lazarus, Chino, Portnoy and Sandusky are dropped off deep in the jungle with Cockburn, who sternly explains that he's going to use hidden cameras ("guerrilla-style") to capture real fear as they survive the real jungle. The actors are only given a map and a scene listing to guide them to the helicopter waiting to pick them up elsewhere in the jungle. As he walks away, Cockburn is blown to pieces by an old landmine. The actors, with the exception of Lazarus, are convinced that this is some of Cockburn's special effects trickery. The group is being watched by members of Flaming Dragon, a gang that manufactures and sells heroin. The Dragons believe the actors to be DEA agents and are put off to see Speedman, trying to convince the others that Cockburn's death is a trick, making a gruesome display of Cockburn's severed head. Believing the Dragons to be actors playing Vietcong, Speedman and company engage them in a gunfight (though Speedman's group is firing only blank rounds). Tayback and Cody, waiting on a nearby ridge and unaware of the real dangers below, blow a large explosive that causes the Dragons to retreat. (By coincidence, Speedman throws a prop grenade toward the Dragons almost simultaneously.) After the "fight scene," the actors march into the jungle to continue the "shoot." Tayback and Cody attempt to locate the now-deceased director. As the two argue and struggle (during which it is revealed that Tayback still has hands), they are surrounded and captured by the Dragons.In captivity, Tayback reveals to Cody that he's not really a veteran, has never left the U.S. before, and originally wrote the book as a "tribute."The actors continue their rigorous trek through the jungle. It is revealed that Portnoy is a heroin addict, but disguises the drug as candy. One night, a bat swoops down and steals Portnoy's heroin. Speedman and Lazarus clash as Speedman insists on holding the map and continuing to do scenes. The two discuss their careers, with Lazarus backhandedly complimenting Speedman on acting "like the dumbest motherfucker who ever lived" in Simple Jack, before telling him that his mistake was playing Jack as being completely mentally disabled rather than just socially impaired. He tells Speedman to "never go full retard" in the future, as the Academy rarely gives Oscars to actors who do that. Meanwhile, Chino grows angry at Lazarus for continuing to offensively "act black," as he always stays in character. After Lazarus steals the map from Speedman, Sandusky (the only one with boot camp training) looks at the map and reveals that Speedman has been leading them the wrong way. The group splits from Speedman, who insists on continuing in the wrong direction.Speedman's sanity seems to be slipping as he continues to act scenes from the film and even, much to his own distress, kills a giant panda one night. Speedman is soon captured by the Dragons and taken back to their camp, which he believes is a prisoner of war camp mentioned in the Tropic Thunder script. When he is tormented by the gang's prepubescent leader Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo), Speedman stutters and is recognized as the star of Simple Jack. This turns out to be the only film the Dragons have seen and they are in awe. They force Speedman to perform scenes from the film many times a day. Speedman even gets a young hanger-on, a "son" of sorts, whom he names "Half-Squat." The Dragons call Peck, Speedman's agent, and explain that they are holding Speedman for ransom. Peck brings this to Les Grossman, who rabidly curses at the Dragon on the other end of the line. That night, Grossman learns the Dragons are heroin manufacturers and receives another call for increased ransom; Grossman tells them that they can kill Speedman. He tells Peck that they can benefit by letting the Dragons kill Speedman and collecting the insurance; he offers the torn agent a share of the profits.Meanwhile, among the actors, tension grows between Lazarus and Chino. Portnoy has begun to hallucinate due to his withdrawal and has to be tied to a water buffalo and then, at his own insistence, to a concrete column. Soon, Portnoy is pleading with the others to untie him. During a conversation about women "back home," Sandusky expresses envy of Lazarus because he dated Jennifer Love Hewitt. In the course of the conversation, Chino is revealed to be a closet homosexual (he is in love with someone named Lance). They soon stumble upon Flaming Dragon's heroin factory. After seeing Speedman being tortured, they plan an ambush based on the film's plot.Lazarus impersonates a farmer who has caught Portnoy (again tied to his water buffalo) on his farm, distracting the armed guards as Chino and Sandusky sneak into the building the captives are held in. After the gang notices inconsistencies in Lazarus' story, the actors open fire on the gang, temporarily subduing them despite being armed with only special effects blanks. Portnoy kidnaps the gang's child leader Tran in order to be led to the drugs. After barely defeating the young crime lord in combat, he finds an enormous mound of heroin; however, reflecting upon his failing low-brow movie career, he rejects the heroin and uses it instead to knock out two guards. Tayback and Cody join the fighting, using Cody's flamethrower and explosives against the Dragons.However, Portnoy, Chino, and Lazarus find Speedman brainwashed. He's performing to an approving crowd several times a day and now believes he is home. Before they can snap him out of it, Lazarus breaks down, revealing his similar inner struggle with his own identity. With Chino and Sandusky's help, Lazarus drops the Sgt. Osiris character, in both make-up and accent, and becomes his white Australian self. However, even Sandusky's inspiring words cannot break Speedman's trance and they have to drag him away as they attempt to escape in Cody and Tayback's recaptured helicopter. The Dragons quickly reassemble, chasing the actors across a bridge which Cody has rigged to blow up. Speedman asks to remain behind with his "family," but quickly returns with Half-Squat (who is stabbing him in the neck) and the murderous Dragons in pursuit. Tayback detonates the bridge just in time for Speedman to get across. Lazarus goes to rescue Speedman from the rubble. They swear friendship and Speedman is finally able to cry. However, just as they get in the helicopter with the others, Tran appears with a rocket launcher. As he shoots at the helicopter, Speedman's agent "Pecker" inexplicably appears with Speedman's TiVO and deflects the rocket with it.A documentary of the botched production is made from the hidden camera footage and results in a multiple-Academy-Award-winning blockbuster film. The film breaks Speedman's streak of flops and he wins the award for Best Actor, which is presented by his friend Lazarus. Along with Portnoy, Sandusky is present with Jennifer Love Hewitt on his arm and Chino attends with Lance Bass (the "Lance" mentioned earlier) on his arm. Les Grossman does a hip-hop dance in celebration of the hit.

Tags: bleak, cult, violence, insanity, humor, satire, comic, entertaining

Review:
Lightening struck again (or I suppose first, if you want to follow his career chronologically) midyear with his smart portrayal as an overprotective principal in Charlie Bartlet, so it only seems suitable for him to cap off the summer with his best work yet.Directed by, and starring Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder is an epically vast improvement over the suicide inducing effort that was Zoolander and finds Stiller in his best comedic acting form since Meet the Parents.
As director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) sees his funds draining and his production falling apart at the hands of the maddeningly inept cast, the inspiration for the movie "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte) suggests that the film would be better shot guerrilla style using hidden cameras and some improvisation.
We also get career high cameo and supporting work from various familiar Hollywood faces, Mathew McConaughey and the much buzzed appearance by Tom Cruise, who is simply fantastic.The most satisfying aspect of Tropic Thunder is that despite show stealing work from Cruise and Downey Jr. everyone gets their slice of the comedy pie.
With a similar action/comedy hybrid formula as this year's Pineapple Express (which both star Danny McBride), Tropic Thunder pours on the laughs like a storm and presents a wit that is nothing less then lightening quick.View all my reviews at Simon Says Movie Reviews: www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com.
'Tropic Thunder' is the sharpest, nastiest, and most honest parody of Hollywood since Altman's 'The Player'.If Doweny Jr. in black face, the script's use of "retard", or the politically incorrect humor offends you, you're missing the point.Only Russel Crowe, Robin Williams, and Harvey Weinstein should take offense.
(But, so, so true, and so brilliant.) I must credit every actor -- particularly Downey Jr. and Cruise -- for their performances, and for making their characters more than stereotypes for cheap laughs.The more you know about Hollywood, the more you will appreciate the film.
True, I was expecting more in the way of story and plot, especially with all that background info manufactured, but when you get down to it, the entertainment value is off the charts, the one-liners are going to be quoted for years to come, and the laughs come often and hard.To take on subject matter as lofty as a send-up to war films, mainly Apocalypse Now, needs a certain amount to bravery and confidence to not care if it all backfires.
Jack Black's Jeff Portney reins in his comedian schtick to portray a hardened solider, voice rasping as he shows his serious side; Stiller's Tugg Speedman attempts to revive the action cred he tried to leave behind with his Oscar-bait turn as a mentally handicapped man in Simple Jack, where he went "full retarded, no one ever comes back from that"; and Robert Downey Jr.'s Kirk Lazarus, Australian genius at his craft, playing a black man like he was born one.
If you're game for any of that, in addition to quite possibly the funniest and most shocking cameos of all time, then Tropic Thunder is the perfect movie to close the summer of 2008 with.Ben Stiller has always been the poster boy for trying to mix these two severely different types of humor recently, and has failed in his other two main directing attempts (although Zoolander was funny).
Here, he more than succeeds in making Hollywood the laughingstock of the summer, and who better than Stiller to do so, someone who has been around the business his entire life.Obviously, what's going to get the most laughs is our cast, which is one of the best comedy casts assembled, in my opinion.
Our supporting performers are just as strong, if not stronger than our big three leads (definitely stronger than Jack Black), and we are treated to some of the funniest cameos of all time...One of Tropic Thunder's cameos, one of the most famous and serious actors in the world, nearly steals the movie, and is funnier than the last time he did a role like this (Austin Powers 3).
Steve Coogan's short role is memorable.Stiller's main point in the film was obviously to make fun of Hollywood and his fellow actors as well, and he succeeds enormously.
Advanced screening: Toronto (July 31, 2008) Tropic Thunder is a film I've anticipated (from it's trailers/ Downey Jr's "Blackface" controversy) for quite awhile, but knowing Ben Stiller's hit (Reality Bites) or miss (Zoolander) directing filmography, I kept my expectations relatively lukewarm.
Luckily that wasn't necessary because it's Stiller's best effort as a director to date as well as one of the best comedies of the year.Starting with the best fake-trailers this side of Grindhouse, TROPIC THUNDER develops into the most uniquely wacky blend of satire/action/ and gross-out I've ever seen.
You have the likes of Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Steve Coogan, and Nick Nolte all turning in terrific comedic performances that they obviously had fun with.
Ultimately it is Downey Jr. who steals almost every scene as the platoon's very white, African-American squad leader.Rude, witty, and ballsy, TROPIC THUNDER is a great time at the movies.
It's hard finding worth-while large budget comedies these days, but DIRECTOR Ben Stiller, supported by a strong cast and a great premise, has proved himself to be the right man for the task.
The star of the movie by far is Robert Downey Jr who is simply perfect but the real scene stealer is Tom Cruise, though his screen time is limited, his scenes are hilarious.
Sadly when Cockburn is killed by a mine mere minutes into the mission, the cast are left in the middle of a dangerous jungle, not entirely sure of whether this is real or not.When I went to see this film I hadn't expected it to be much more than a basic comedy but the reality is that this is a pretty smart satire of Hollywood and movie acting that also produces silly laughs one would expect from a Ben Stiller film.
Maybe it was a great inside joke for film makers, or actors, but I was very disappointed.Ben Stiller fans are probably getting their fix, but it has been awhile since he did anything really funny.
To put it simply - the humour here just doesn't translate overseas.This film was like watching Stiller and his rich friends in their living room making crap industry-insider jokes and patting each other on the back.
My wife and I about 45 minutes in looked at each other with glazed over eyes and both realized we had lost any interest in wasting any more time watching this movie, got up and walked out.Tired, stale and 10 year old humor just didn't work.
There are good things about the movie like Tom Cruise's amusing part as a sleazeball studio exec and Ben Stiller playing with a real decapitated head even though he thinks it's prosthetic.
Ultimately this has all been done before better and after a great opening few minutes it goes rapidly down hill and never recovers making this a sorry example of a comedy film and a waste of good actors.
Speedman (Ben Stiller) and his crew are in Vietnam, working on a movie based on the book "Tropic Thunder" and the director and author of the book are on set the entire time.
Despite the fact that I really like Ben Stiller and maybe I saw most of his films, I don't recommend anyone to spend the money on this crap.
Tropic Thunder is so well put together and was a perfect spoof of the method actor, the comedian, the rapper, and the action star together in a movie, not to mention Tom Cruise, who knew this guy could be so funny?
Coming here on IMDb there were a lot of haters who were just trashing Rober Downey, Jr. and calling this film so racist, after they see this movie, I'm sure their mouths will be shut, because he was the greatest part of Tropic Thunder.Tugg Speedman, the action star, Jeff Portnoy, the comedian, Alpa Chino, the rapper, Kevin Sandusky, the "and introducing" actor, and Kirk Lazarus, the method five time award winning actor.
So the director and author of the book "Tropic Thunder" take them out to the real jungle of Vietnam, the guys still think they are doing the movie, but what they don't know is that they are being attacked by real terrorists, way to get motivated.Tropic Thunder is seriously one of the funniest movies I have seen in a while, I miss these comedies where the humor is the kind that is just a spoof of real life people.
This movie is not worth your time or money!The movie is considered a comedy,but in actuality the joke is really on the audience.I think I understand some of the points Stiller tries to make,but as usual there seems to be no humor there.This is just more garbage that has come out of Hollywood.MY ANGER is really directed more at the critics that have reviewed the movie.As a rule, before going to a movie i will check two web pages for reviews .Those pages are IMDb and rotten tomatoes.I now find that these reviews are lacking in credibility or because of my age I no longer have a sense of humor that compares with the average man..
Tropic Thunder is an excellent example of why movies don't do well in the box office today.Robert Downey's role was ridiculous to the extreme, and considering the cast of "big names", I didn't see anything that remotely resembled "acting".The FX were ludicrous, the storyline non-existent, and the humor wasn't humorous.
From now on I'll read further down in the list to find if there's anything wrong with a movie not why it is good.I will now expect any future film to start with maximum points in the reviews in the IMDb database.I did not laugh one bit while watching this movie.
Too many parody and satire sequences are played so broadly that one laughs at the spectacle rather than the subtle jabs that really could put it above most junk out there.And that's really a shame, because I've seen it all before, and more importantly because Stiller and company just nail it in a few small truly memorable exchanges, most of which include Robert Downey, Jr. People describe the obvious "Heart of Darkness", "Platoon", and "Rambo" references, but the script quotes and alludes to so many films, producers, and actors that it's a virtual beehive of smack.To put it succinctly, I think that Stiller and Company wanted to make a sharp, biting satire on the business, but felt the need to couch it in a typically raunchy, pedestrian framework in order to bring in the largest possible audience (and the largest cash flow).And what's left?
I know there's going to be a lot of people disagreeing with me but i thought tropic thunder is an awful film,sorry Mr.Stiller.but it is really bad.well i did'nt like it.even as a dollar movie rental at red box.although when i seen the preview trailers it looked good.there's a great cast(Ben Stiller,Jack Black,Robert Downey Jr,and even Tom Cruise.)the plot???something about hammy actors in a Vietnam movie.that turns into a real scenario.i think its one of those movies that boasts a good cast,but fails to deliver.shades of Ishtar.the only thing is that it has received rave reviews.sorry i have to call tropic thunder a bad movie.i just did'nt get it,or like it.1 out of 10,and I'm being generous..
I am astonished at how many people like this movie, I was bored from beginning to end laughing a handful of times (I counted) and couldn't wait to get out of the theater.The movie is about these actors who are doing a very good job making this war movie so the director decides to put the actors in the real jungle and film them after the director dies so does the movie.
Tom Cruise's character was terrible all he does is yell and curse.I really wanted to like this movie but in the end hated everything about it, biggest waste of money I've ever spent at the theaters.
But not me!Ben Stiller directs, stars and co-writes this spoof action movie that sees actors making an army jungle movie forced to rely on their acting skills to survive a real life jungle hell: The kicker being that they don't realise they are fighting for their lives.
Sure, there were a few chuckles, but overall, I was just sitting there bored, shocked that this extremely popular movie was so flat and...well, just bad.I am a pretty big fan of all the actors involved, but I can't believe they settled for such a lifeless script.So much great talent was wasted so horribly.
a bunch of losers making a war movie find themselves in the woods that's Ttropic Thunder.I can't describe how awful and unfunny this movie is .it is a desperate attempt to make comedy .horrible and disgusting performances by Jack Black , Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise.but I have to say Robert was so funny.despite all that, the movie had much success at the box office!!!
I've got nothing more to add, waste of time too.Two disappointed New Zealanders who know better than Ben Stiller how to make a good movie.M + R.
Some of the material that was given to the actors to work with was phenomenal especially that of Robert Downey Jr. Of course though the many mockingly made jokes at the Hollywood and the film industry was done in a very nice subtle way, like a true parody should.
I now have to voice my opinion, if you are expecting a typical Ben Stiller comedy where you actually will laugh, this movie is not for you.
I swear I haven't laughed at anything so hard in a long time and it should be made clear that this is not a blackface role, but is actually a study of a guy who's completely insane and won't drop character  he states that he's there to make a movie and won't go out of character until he records the DVD commentary  even when the plot takes a scary and incredibly dangerous turn.TROPIC THUNDER is by no means perfect, but it is funny and it gains points for Downey and Ben Stiller's jaw-droppingly un-PC nod to nauseating and offensive allegedly star-making performances that involve actors portraying the mentally handicapped.
Ben Stiller was typical old Ben. This is probably Jack Black's least funny movie that he has taken part since King Kong.The over all message of the movie is that actors have no lives getting lost in their roles and movie producers (Tom Cruise) exploit them for what they are worth buying them off with money.
Just what i expected: non-stop laughs, action, Ben Stiller being Ben Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr. stealing the show, Tom Cruise's funniest role of his entire career, up and coming actor Brandon T.
What Robert Downey, Jr. did for Iron Man, he did for this movie and quickly becoming one of my favorite actors and definitely gets an Oscar nod from me for either the roles of Tropic Thunder or Iron Man. Jack Black did a great job at finally doing his special talent: making people laugh and haven't been doing that since Nacho Libre (I thought that was his funniest movie since, that movie was very funny, in my opinion.) For those who wants to know what Tom Cruise did, i'll give you two big words: FREAKING HILARIOUS!!
Superb cast Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr.,Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise...
Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder is a comedy that opens the door to arguably the most clever and groundbreaking spoof of Hollywood politics ever to put to film.
Opening up with fake four trailers introducing the four main characters each as Hollywood actors, this movie follows the story of a film crew lead by English filmmaker Damien Cockburn (played by Steve Coogan) who must lead a group of prima donna actors including: Tugg Speedman (played by Ben Stiller), a Sylvestor Stallone-like action star, Jeff Portnoy (played by Jack Black), a comedic star of a popular comedy franchise known for flatulence jokes, rapper Alpa Chino (played by Brandon T.
We've seen plenty of Ben Stiller comedies, we are very familiar with Jack Black's sense of humor and if you've watched a fair share of movies (including "Iron Man"), you know how good Robert Downey Jr. can be, but never before have you seen them like this, teaming up to create summer 2008's best comedy.
"Tropic Thunder" is not a violent action comedy like it lets off--instead the gun is aimed at Hollywood, taking shots at actors, writers, producers, the whole lot as they try and make a Vietnam War film.
It's not the most laugh-out-loud funny comedy in recent years, but its combination of great and diverse talent playing a variety of amusing characters and clever Hollywood-spoofing jokes makes it a unique brand that is familiar but fresh."Tropic Thunder" is a new war film based on a book written by a war vet played by Nick Nolte.
If you go into this movie hoping for a lot of laughs you will get that and leave satisfied, while at the same time if you wish for a good script, and great casting/performances then those wishes will be granted too.
I thought they probably had a good time making this movie, hamming up for their characters and providing some crazy laughs.
I'm just gonna come right out and say it, "I loved this movie!" I laughed consistently through the whole thing and at the moment it's one of the funniest movies I've seen in quite some time.Who better to write and direct a movie about Hollywood and its eccentricities than Ben Stiller, a guy who grew up in the fold with actor parents?