Review of Tropic Thunder (2008) by Timothy S — 14 Oct 2014

Ben Stiller has made more than his share of blunders in front of and behind the camera, but after "Tropic Thunder," all is forgiven. This is the biggest, boldest comedy I've seen in quite some time, a beautiful and expensive-looking picture that almost feels like a prestige project that it so effectively skewers.

The comedy works primarily because the cast is eclectic and at the top of their game, and because of the sheer audaciousness of the whole thing. This movie goes places where others like it would fear to tread. Stiller and co-star Jack Black haven't been this good in years, but the real story here is Robert Downey Jr., bucking the odds in a daring and hilarious performance in blackface. It's a gutsy move that very easily could have backfired, but the ballsy actor pulls it off.

Tom Cruise is also very funny in heavy make-up as a vulgar studio head. It's risky as well, but pays off too. The movie is at its best when it lampoons Hollywood with the hilarious fake trailers the open the film and all the behind-the-scenes movie-making jokes. At some point it almost borders on biting the hand that feeds you but that'a a part of what makes this picture both successful and noteworthy.

There are some great inside jokes about how the industry rewards actors with awards and how far some people will go to grow as an actor, but there are a lot more conventional laughs as well ensuring that "Tropic Thunder" is deserving of a very large fan base. This is a smart, knowing and above all else very funny satire.