The second smart comedy of 2008 is Tropic Thunder. Tropic Thunder is actually not smart at all, but it is a fine parody of war films such as Platoon and Apocalypse Now. Add some great acting and a clever script together and you get the nice surprise that Tropic Thunder is. Clever and stupid all at once, the movie is easily quotable and very fun.
The movie, as I have said before, is one long parody of the war film genre. It is about actors on the set of a movie who can't seem to work towards any progress in the movie. Among the many stars in the movie, there's Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Robert Downey Jr. The director decides to get realistic war footage so he puts the actors in a climate the aren't used to: actual war. There are many cameos including Nick Nolte as a war veteran and Tom Cruise as a ruthless Hollywood agent.
Though even the credits seem like a joke, the movie was nearly completely made by actors. Ben Stiller does quadruple duty by acting, directing, producing, and writing the film. It's obvious that he wrote the script because it is so kooky and obnoxious (but also enjoyable) at times. What isn't quite as obvious is that movie star Justin Theroux also helped write the script. Also, the cast is quite good. Robert Downey Jr. is great as a black man and was nominated for an Oscar as a result of his performance. He won't win it, IMHO, because he is up against Heath Ledger.
Tropic Thunder is a comedy that should stick with American audiences for a while. The movie is offensive and never dull, typical characteristics of any Ben Stiller or Jack Black movie. Though I can't stand either actor, they are actually quite enjoyable. The rest of the cast isn't too shabby either. The fake trailers in the beginning are simply a nice finishing touch on an already golden movie.
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