Tropic Thunder (2008)
Directed by Ben Stiller
Written by Ben Stiller and Justin Theroux
Starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan and Tom Cruise.
Yes, it's recent.
It's been out only a couple weeks and it has made my top 200 list. It's that funny.
It's a spoof that doesn't rely on constant references to pop culture. It doesn't take itself seriously but it isn't a lazily written or conceived comedy. Stiller and Theroux wrote a sharp script satirizing celebrity neuroses and lampoons our obsession with celebrity culture.
Stiller's schtick has been hit and miss for years. He has good (There's Something About Mary, Zoolander), the great (The Royal Tenenbaums) and the rest (A Night at the Museum). This is his best film since Tenenbaums, no question. But he isn't even the brightest light.
Robert Downey Jr. as I'm sure everyone knows by now, steals the show. His depiction of Kirk Lazarus, an Australian actor who goes through a medical procedure to portray a black sergeant in a Viet Nam movie is so over the top but never seems out of place.
Jack Black is at his manic best. He's on edge and vulgar, not family friendly. This is just the way he should be. I thought he had lost his comic senses from Tenacious D, but apparently not.
Tropic Thunder is the biggest surprise of the year so far. I think everyone knew The Dark Knight would be pretty damn special, but this came out of nowhere. It's a good mindless comedy - remember that when you see activists getting up in arms over the liberal use of the word 'retard'. It's one scene, lasts a minute and is over. Go watch House Bunny and Pineapple Express, it's used in both of those movies at least once and in derogatory fashion at a different character, but neither of those movies are labeled as intolerant.
Is there a quota that has to be filled? How many times can retard be said in a movie before it's deemed offensive? 3? 2? Criticizing Tropic Thunder because of that is sillier than the movie itself. And it deserves this spot in my list. It's a great comedy.
2 comments:
I think anyone who has a problem with the "retard" scene is missing the point. I haven't seen the movie yet, but from what I hear it's just a parody of hollywood. One would think people could tell from the trailer that it's not supposed to be taken seriously.
And isn't it a little soon for Tropic Thunder to be included on top 200 lists. Will it even be remembered by most people six months from now? Still, I'm enjoying your list so far and I'm interested in seeing what else is included.
Oh absolutely it's a bit early for it to be included but I am fine with the selection. If it doesn't stand the test of time it will be excised from the list down the road. It's not the only 2008 movie on here either. There's one more but it's pretty obvious as to which one it is.
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