Tropic Thunder

[oneTVslave]

A group of self-absorbed actors sets out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys. (cast includes Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, among others)

I didn't see a thread on this movie yet, which is surprising given all the controversy surrounding it. I saw it on opening night and laughed my butt off. Easily the funniest movie of the summer, hands-down. And I think that the disability groups protesting just don't get it - the real butt of the joke is not disabled people, but self-important Hollywood types.

I'll be curious to hear what others say. But be warned, this movie is not for the faint-hearted. Definitely involved some very crude humor and plenty of foul language.

[Google]

 

[Veruka]

I cannot wait to see this! I've heard a few people whose sense of humors I relate to and agree with just RAVE about it. I don't know if I'm going to get to see it this weekend, but if not, I may have to take a day off of work next week so I can get it in!

[FireWoman]

Originally Posted by oneTVslave

A group of self-absorbed actors sets out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys. (cast includes Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, among others)

I didn't see a thread on this movie yet, which is surprising given all the controversy surrounding it. I saw it on opening night and laughed my butt off. Easily the funniest movie of the summer, hands-down. And I think that the disability groups protesting just don't get it - the real butt of the joke is not disabled people, but self-important Hollywood types.

I'll be curious to hear what others say. But be warned, this movie is not for the faint-hearted. Definitely involved some very crude humor and plenty of foul language.

LOL my kinda movie! But I DO love Jack Black, and will seeit for him.. but on DVD i'm sure

[Veruka]

I went to see it this afternoon. I really enjoyed it, but I don't think it was quite as hilarious as I was expecting. My expectations were definitely high, and I'll be fair in admitting that. I was entertained, but i think there have been other movies that have made me laugh harder. Perhaps it being declared the funniest movie of the Summer simply indicates the lack of comedies out there this year?

[PhoneGrrrl]

I also saw it this afternoon. I liked it better than I expected--I usually can't stand Ben Stiller in anything (give me Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara any day, though). There were some comedic disconnects that stood out--the Downey/White/et al. portion seemed to be in a satire of acting comedy while Stiller seemed to be in a bad slap-stick (that panda bit was a bit too over-the-top/Zoolander-redux), and Cruise seemed to be in a parody. But overall, it had more laughs than I expected and some parts were smarter than I thought a Ben Stiller movie could be...except for the Cruise dancing bit which totally seemed cribbed from "Fat Monica" on Friends.

[Bubba-Jo-Lyn]

Not as funny as I hoped it would be but it was somewhat entertaining. There was protest outside the theatre for the use of the phrase "full retard". Personally I didn't find that part of the movie funny at all and was disappointed that Stiller chose to include it. Also disappointed that in the theatre that scene probably got the biggest laughs.

[PugMum]

I have not seen this movie, nor do I plan to see it anytime soon. Just curious though, I heard that Cruise carried this picture and has made it the comedy of the summer.
Any thoughts?

[polexia]

Cruise looks nithing like his usual pretty boy self which is a nice change for him.

[Veruka]

Originally Posted by PugMum

I have not seen this movie, nor do I plan to see it anytime soon. Just curious though, I heard that Cruise carried this picture and has made it the comedy of the summer.
Any thoughts?

I didn't think so. His appearance / character is different enough from what we're used to seeing from him that when you first see it, it's very funny. But you know how there can be a tendency to run a good joke into the ground in Ben Stiller movies? To me, the Tom Cruise bit is where he's guilty of doing that in this movie. Had it been a true cameo, I think it would have made the movie. But they made him more of a supporting character than a cameo, and killed it.

[Rattus]

Originally Posted by Bubba-Jo-Lyn

Not as funny as I hoped it would be but it was somewhat entertaining. There was protest outside the theatre for the use of the phrase "full retard". Personally I didn't find that part of the movie funny at all and was disappointed that Stiller chose to include it. Also disappointed that in the theatre that scene probably got the biggest laughs.

I actually didn't object to this scene and did find it amusing as a satire on the shameless Oscar-bait performances many actors seem to resort to when they apparently don't feel they are receiving their due. And, as I usually find in these films that attract the ire of special interest groups, the use of this term didn't make the mentally challenged look foolish, it made the people using the term look foolish.

Overall, I found it be an entertaining film, but seen back-to-back with Pineapple Express, the action-comedy incorporating explosions, drug-use and bro-love that I saw last week, I have to give the award to Pineapple Express for being the more entertaining. A week later and I'm still considering buying it when it comes out.