Tropic Thunder

In the world of comedy, satire may be the most difficult thing to do well. It can be dangerous. It can inspire protests, even rage, and the sharper the knives the greater the likelihood of this. But if your comedy is as sharp as your knives it can be brutally and brilliantly funny.
"Tropic Thunder" is a film with sharp knives. As we've known for months Robert Downey, Jr. spends almost the entire film in black face. But when I went to the ticket booth what did I see? An official statement from DreamWorks about the film's use of the word "retard." Black face was not the most potentially offensive element of a movie made in 2008. Director, co-writer, and star Ben Stiller was clearly taking a risk with this picture. All I can say is I salute you, Mr. Stiller.
"Tropic Thunder" is the story of self-obsessed actors making a Vietnam epic entitled, well, "Tropic Thunder." Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) is the action star who's one flop away from being an industry outcast thanks to falling flat on his face in his attempt for Oscar glory in a film called "Simple Jack." Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) is a comedy star who's putting his entire future up his nose and into his veins. Kirk Lazarus (Downey) is the five-time Academy Award winning Australian who takes method acting well past the limits of sanity. He got surgery so he could take on the role of the black sergeant. Rounding out the cast of the Vietnam film is rapper turned actor Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and unknown (even to his cast mates) Kevin Sandusky ("Knocked Up's" Jay Baruchel).
The three superstars' childish behavior has put British director Damien Cockburn's (Steve Coogan) film in jeopardy. Pressure from studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) isn't helping Cockburn's state of mind. Desperately, he foolishly takes the advice of the man whose story "Tropic Thunder" is based on, war hero Four Leaf Tayback (Nick Nolte), who suggests taking the guys out into the jungle and filming guerrilla style with hidden cameras and real terror. Within moments of their arrival we get one of the funniest and most ludicrous death scenes ever caught on film. With this the actors are left to fend for themselves when bullets start flying. Speedman is convinced that it's all part of the film but the reality is they've been caught in the middle of a drug war.
From the very beginning, which is a series of fake trailers for the upcoming films of "Tropic Thunder's" stars, Stiller is right on. This is a Hollywood satire far sillier than "The Player" or "Sunset Blvd." but possibly even more savage. As mentioned above, the film takes dead aim at method acting, Hollywood drug addicts, and extreme self-absorption. Being a satire it of course goes beyond reality, but it's all steeped in truth.
As far as the movie's two most controversial elements, Downey in black face is a comic slam dunk. The way it's written and performed, the joke is very clearly on the lengths Lazarus goes to in the name of "true art." The actual black character, Alpa Chino, is the voice of reason who calls Lazarus out time and time again. Occasionally Stiller seems to lay that on a bit thick. He doesn't want anyone in the audience to think for a second that this film is racist. If he had pulled back a just a bit it would have been just as clear that this movie is not racist and reasonable intelligent audience members would have gotten it. The easily offended won't like "Tropic Thunder" anyway.
As for "Simple Jack" the target is not the mentally challenged, it's the Hollywood belief that playing a character with a disability is their ticket to Oscar gold. In quite possibly the funniest moment in the film, Lazarus explains to Speedman why going "full retard" is the reason he didn't win any awards. I won't spoil the exchange for you here. Stiller is less obvious with this element which is no doubt why it's caused more outrage. Some people can't read between the comic lines.
Everyone is funny in "Tropic Thunder." Downey remains on the hot streak started three years ago with "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." A role that would have sent most actors running away screaming he sinks his teeth into and he could not be funnier. For Stiller this is easily the best thing he's done since "Dodgeball," and Black's plea to not be judged while holding a gun on a small child while manically running towards a crack house is as funny as anything in the film. (I know we disagree on this one Keith, but that's okay. :)) Baruchel, Coogan, Matthew McConaughey, and especially Cruise add to the hilarity. Cruise's typical mannerisms and constant yelling have become tiresome, but those are the very things that make his work in this film so funny. His character's life is one giant tirade and it's absolutely hilarious.
A lot of people will find "Tropic Thunder" to be one big sick joke, but that's what happens when you make a satire. For the rest of us, it is a very funny, very entertaining film and one you won't want to miss. 8.5/10.