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| Movie Review: Tropic Thunder Alternate Title: My the Farce be With You
Story: You do not have to 'get'
this movie to have a few laughs. It is a spoof about the Hollywood big
movie machine with all of the stereotypes that one would expect. However,
anyone who is over the age of entry (it has an 'R' rating) can simply
laugh at some of the silliness without being a frequent viewer of any
of those Hollywood TV shows like Access Hollywood. Director
Ben Stiller satirizes the megalomania of the studio
moguls, the insecure, oversized ego of its stars, the lunacy of the
directors, the wackiness of the special effects guys and the veracity
of its writers. It was written by Ben Stiller &
Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen and
they skewer everyone in the system. The plot involves a movie within a movie that
goes haywire when the director decides to cut the actors loose in the
jungle to fend for themselves while making a film about a 'true' adventure
that happened in Vietnam in 1969. Hidden cameras are to follow their
every move with the script outline to be followed by using flash cards.
Needless to say, everything goes wrong and chaos and madness ensue.
Is the film stupid? Absolutely. Is it funny? Occasionally. Would your
15 year old son, brother or cousin love this movie? Without a doubt.
Should you see it? That depends on whether your predilections are similar
to mine. Check out the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrqk-LLzW4g Acting: Ben Stiller is, well, Ben Stiller. Robert
Downey, Jr. is having quite a year and I will see almost anything
that he appears in. Jack Black is, well, Jack Black.
Jay Baruchel is kind of funny and sort of sweet. Nick
Nolte is very funny as a cartoon of himself. Danny
McBride as the explosive guy is funny. Brandon T Jackson
is funny too, as Alpa Chino. Tom Cruise as the mogul,
however, steals every scene he is in and if you do see the film, stay
until the beginning of the credits. Trivia: Robert Downey, Jr. lived with Sarah
Jessica Parker for 7 years during the 1980s. Jay Baruchel
went to the same Canadian High School as William Shatner
and is of French and Italian Sephardic Jewish descent on his father's
side and Irish, Prussian and English descent on his mother's. Jack
Black had his gall bladder removed. Ben Stiller
is a big Star Trek fan and a clip of an old episode appears in the film.
Predilection: I will see most anything that has Robert
Downey Jr and/or Nick Nolte in it.
Critters: A bat, a Mantis, a water buffalo, a fake
panda and some goats.
Sex Spectrum: This is bungle in the jungle - not bootie
in the jungle.
Soundtrack: Loud and often funny
Opening Titles: A very funny opening sequence before
the title.
Visual Art: Pyrotechnic visuals and funny details
in all of the venues.
Theater Audience: A bunch of guys and me.
Weather: The weather was fine for a farce. It rained
when it had purpose and most of the time it was hot.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I drifted frequently.
Predictability Level: Over the top as was most of
the movie.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Ha
Big Screen or Rental: Rental would be just fine.
Length: 100 minutes
LOBO HOWLS: 6
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