Tropic Thunder

A satire is the truest sense of the word, Tropic Thunder is comic genius. The movie is directed, produced, co-written and stars Ben Stiller and proves that he is one of the smartest and most versatile men in Hollywood. The movie co-stars Robert Downey Jr and Jack Black and is supported by an all-star cast including: Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey and Steve Coogan.

Tropic Thunder follows three pompous actors as they shoot a costly Vietnam picture of the same name. After an acting lesson devised by the director that doesn’t work out to plan the actors, unbeknownst to them, suddenly find themselves amongst actual guerilla war lords. The actors must find a away to survive without catered food, assistants, cell phones and adoring fans.

Stiller, Downey Jr and Black all give brilliant performances and epitomize the 21st century Hollywood actor. Their arrogance is underlined by deep insecurity and their sense of genius is off-set by extreme naiveté. It is also worth noting that Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey give fantastic performances. I haven’t liked McConaughey in his last few movies and I haven’t liked Cruise in the last few years. Both redeemed themselves in this movie.

You find yourself laughing at parts of the movie that can be deemed extremely offensive, yet, since the characters truly don’t know any better the true point of the movie is revealed and an offensive scene turns into that of social commentary. Watch this movie. Laugh, laugh and laugh some more. Go into this movie knowing that it was not meant to be offensive or disrespectful, but rather a play on the Hollywood elitists today who takes themselves and their work far too seriously.

Missy Cinema Score: A-