Tropic Thunder

I went to see this on opening night (a Wednesday, how weird is that?) and I gotta say, this is another one of those movies I was happy to pay theatre prices for. I wouldn't necessarily pay to see it as many times as, say, The Dark Knight or Iron Man, but it'll be another addition to my DVD collection for sure.

Ben Stiller needs to make more movies. He did a really good job with the script writing and directing (and the acting, but if you're at all familiar with Ben Stiller, it's his usual fare). Everyone in the cast did an excellent job riding that line between hilarious and offensive, especially Tom Cruise.

Wait, what? Yes, Tom Cruise is in this movie. Took me by surprise because most of the advertisements concentrate on the holy trinity of Black, Stiller, and Downy Jr. He played an excellent evil whatever he was (not a director of the movie within the movie, but the guy that funded the movie within the movie). Less than surprising was his role as a slightly psychotic character, but pleasantly surprising was how friggin' funny he was at playing the part. It was like he was making fun of himself.

Also, I think Robert Downy Jr. is now my favorite actor. Kudos to him for taking a potentially explosive role as "the dude playin' the dude disguised as another dude." His blackness was a little over-the-top at the start of the movie, but he really got into it and he was just so exaggerated yet comfortable in the role that he was highly convincing as the actor that got lost in his character. I mean he was so into it that when he reverted back to his blond-haired blue-eyed "real" self at the end, it seemed more fake than when he was black! (And I gotta tell you, it's a serious sensory shock to have him go from a deep-voiced black man to the blond Australian type. I think I like him better black, akshully... or as Tony Stark, but we're not talking about that movie right now. lol)

And yeah, I did hear about the protesting during the premier of the movie. Honestly... after having seen it, I really don't think they should be protesting it. Yes, there is gratuitous use of the word "retard" in one part of the movie, but it's when they're talking about a ficticious movie Stiller's character made, and it's done on purpose to exaggerate their personalities. It's satire. They're not condoning the use of the word, they're not trying to make it popular. Same with "Simple Jack", the role Stiller's character is supposed to have played. It's an over-the-top distasteful character, and it's supposed to be like that. That's the point. Lrn2humor?

Fantastically funny. It's a must-see!


~Sass~