Tropic Thunder is a movie that is constantly the subject of conversation when it comes to movies that deserve to be “canceled” but also never fails to come back time and time again as a much-loved hit. A paradox of modern cinema, the action comedy starring and directed by Ben Stiller, which also features Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, and an unexpected Tom Cruise, is now back in the Top 10 on Paramount+ as a new wave of viewers stop by to enjoy one of the greatest comedies of the 2000s.
Tropic Thunder is a movie about a movie that isn’t trying to be another movie – if you don’t understand that, just go and watch the film, please. The lead trio of Stiller, Black, and Downey Jr. play part of group of actors making a Vietnam movie under the direction of a stressed out and put upon director – played by Steve Coogan – until he drops them into a real war situation and then dies in an accident, leaving them alone with just their self-belief as actors to help them survive.
The chaos that ensues throws in plenty of parodies of many classic Vietnam War movies, while taking a satirical swipe at the mentality of big Hollywood studio bosses, and the lengths some actors will go to in order to get into character. This last bit is of particular note when considering the controversy around Downey Jr.’s character of Kirk Lazarus, who is so intent on giving his best performance that he goes through pigmentation treatment to darken his skin.
In a conversation on Rob Lowe’s Literally! Podcast earlier this year, Downey Jr. shared his view on the ongoing controversy over the movie and explained why he feels it continues to be seen as a problematic film.
“There used to be an understanding with an audience, and I’m not saying that the audience is no longer understanding — I’m saying that things have gotten very muddied. The spirit that [Ben] Stiller directed and cast and shot ‘Tropic Thunder’ in was, essentially, as a railing against all of these tropes that are not right and [that] had been perpetuated for too long.”
Tropic Thunder’s Controversy Has Never Hindered Its Success
While there are many movies that “would not get made now,” Downey Jr.’s explanation of Tropic Thunder’s reason for including its controversial elements also goes some way to explaining why it continues to be so popular after almost 20 years. The film’s main satirical targets are just as prominent now as they were in 2008, making the film just as relevant to current audiences as it was to those who saw it on its debut.
The subject of extreme method acting is often called into question, with actors like Jared Leto being cited as going too far when getting into character. Similarly, Hollywood bosses have been called out over the working conditions of their crews, actors have been accused of inappropriate on-set behavior, and the industry seems intent on churning out content with nothing more in mind than how much money they can make from it.
Related
Tropic Thunder Writer Says The Film Isn’t Controversial To Him Because of Who The Jokes Are Aimed At
Tropic Thunder has been the subject of criticism since its release, but writer Justin Theroux still doesn’t see it that way.
All of these things and more are parodied in Tropic Thunder, and now, its renewed success on Paramount + means that even more people will be getting to see how great a job it does at skewering the movie industry all over again.
- Release Date
- August 9, 2008
- Runtime
- 106
- Studio
- DreamWorks Pictures
- Tagline
- Get some.