I'm not usually a comedy movie guy. In fact, I wouldn't give this movie more than 3 stars. ...but sometimes there can be excellent performances in mediocre films and this was one of those...
Robert Downey played what may be the most offensive role I've seen since Blazing Saddles. It was so offensive... The fact that groups for the...um...mentally challanged are protesting and civil rights groups aren't--it's ironic.
He should get an Oscar for that performance. He was incredible.
Also, believe it or not, Tom Cruise...
I AM NOT A FAN!
...but Tom Cruise stole the movie. It was his best performance ever. He was fantastic!
Re: Tropic Thunder
I've admired Robert Downey for some time. But Jack Black, and especially Ben Stiller tag this one as 'Too stupid to even sit through the trailer".
seriously though, i think you're crazy on this. and you think i'm crazy. everybody wins! - dhex
Re: Tropic Thunder
Could somebody, anybody explain to me how Ben Stiller stays employed? That sumbitch isn't even summer stock talented.
♫And the man at the back
said everyone attack
and it turned into a ballroom blitz♫
Re: Tropic Thunder
Oh, I dunno ... I really enjoyed Zoolander.
"My intellect is gigantic, monstrous, terrifying."
Re: Tropic Thunder
Stevo, I strongly suggest you edit that comment, and we will never never speak of it again.
seriously though, i think you're crazy on this. and you think i'm crazy. everybody wins! - dhex
Re: Tropic Thunder
* flashes "Blue Steel" *
"My intellect is gigantic, monstrous, terrifying."
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Hatin' on Zoolander = BANNED
BANNED!
But back to the initial topic:
Alexa at Disaboom explained that best, I think. (She was critiquing the way the movie was portrayed in the trailers, so if there's some more nuanced discussion of ableism and cripface elsewhere in the film, this doesn't totally apply.)
Re: Tropic Thunder
Firstly, I haven't seen the movie, so I'm only going by what I've seen in the news. That said, my reading of the movie is very different from most of the protestors. "the only criticism is for overplaying the character"? Based on the quotes I've seen, that's not a very good characterization of the point. There's actually something important in there about how audiences will identify with a retarded (am I allowed to say that, or is that like the N-word now?) character only as long as he conforms to a certain stereotype and is non-threatening and not "too retarded". That's actually an interesting and valid point, but the protestors seem to be ignoring it in favor of "OMG he said retarded!"
Re: Tropic Thunder
I saw Tropic Thunder on Saturday night, so I can now speak from experience. Firstly, a general comment: it was much better than I expected, and actually quite good.
A few points specifically regarding the "Simple Jack/retard" issue:
0. "Tropic Thunder" is a dark, violent, transgressive kind of comedy.
1. The "Simple Jack" part is more than just a minor conversation, it's almost a subplot.
2. "Simple Jack" is SUPPOSED to be a terrible movie, and Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) is supposed to be a lousy actor.
Robert Downey stole pretty much every scene he was in. And I'm not always a fan of Tom Cruise, but he was AMAZING in his role, which was completely not what you'd think of as a traditional Tom Cruise role (a bald, bearded, overweight studio head who's foul-mouthed, vile-tempered, and slickly evil). The scene where he and his flunky suddenly put on hip-hop and start dancing while talking an agent into literally letting his client die - because the insurance claim looks to be more profitable than the movie will be - is a fantastic, creepy bit of black humor.
Re: Tropic Thunder
The other complicating factor in Downey's role... ...at one point, while still in black face, he totally breaks character! He says something like, "I know who I am. I'm playin' a dude who's playin' a dude who thinks he's another dude."
Why is that ingenious? Just like in "Blazing Saddles", it's like the joke's on us. 'cause when he breaks down and becomes who he really is--he doesn't become Robert Downey--he becomes a blond Australian! (Russell Crowe)
...why is it so offensive for Robert Downey to play a black man but not offensive when he plays an Australian?
I can answer that question a number of ways. ...some of those answers are pretty good too. But the joke's on us, people. The joke's on us.
Downey deserves an Oscar nomination for that performance.
(Downey Voice)
"Took a whole lot o' tryin'... just to get up that hill. Now we're up in big leagues..."
(/Downey Voice)
It's wrong. And it's funny 'cause it's wrong. It's funny 'cause it's wrong and it's funny 'cause it's right on the money!
Re: Tropic Thunder
I don't know for sure, but I think it's 'cause he makes himself the Executive Producer. If I'm not mistaken, that means he goes out and pitches to the studio and raises the cash to make the film. So he get to hire pretty much whoever he wants... ...and guess who he wants.
Studio films don't get made without a bankable star on board. ...that's a part of why, I think, so many big budget movies suck. It's like not only do you have to write a great script, you have to get someone as dumb as Tom Cruise to understand it and commit to doing it before a studio will make it... ...and can you imagine that conversation with Tom Cruise?
Tom: "All my movies are the same. I think I'm hot shot until my best friend gets killed. Then I get laid and realize I really am a hot shot!"
...what do you mean I don't get the girl?!"
Unless you base it on a bankable property, that is. ...a comic book, a remake, a book, something with a built in audience. ...even then, the studio wants a bankable star involved. I'd want a guaranteed return on my $50 million or up too. ...and you'd be surprised how many idiots will pay money to see anything with whatever star in it.
Re: Tropic Thunder
It did occur to me that there's one point in the movie at which:
Robert Downey is playing
Kirk Lazarus who is deeply into character as
Lincoln Osiris but also pretending to be
a Vietnamese peasant!
It gets complicated fast. I was howling at the "Vietnamese peasant" scene, BTW. "I am famished! I need...electrolytes!" I wondered if that was a hat-tip to "Idiocracy", actually.
Re: Tropic Thunder
I saw this last weekend (Sheesh, there really isn't anything at the theaters). I have to agree with the Downey love, but I thought Tom Cruise was crap. Yes, it was a different role for him, but I kept thinking that Paul Giamatti or someone similar would have been about 100x better.
Just as a lot of critics said, the movie kind of tried too hard or something. There were some genuinely funny bits, but over all I was dissatisfied. I got the impression that they were making allusions to these colorful characters with the young boy leader Tran. Why didn't they go full on and have Tran as a pair of chain-smoking, cult-leader twins who demand to be carried everywhere they go? They missed a real opportunity there.