Tug Speedman (Ben Stiller), Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) and Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) are a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make an epic war film. Their lack of on screen chemistry and ballooning costs force the studio to contemplate cancelling the movie. However, Director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) refuses to give in to looming defeat and is convinced that sending the boys out into the jungles of Southeast Asia will be the only way to salvage the film and harness some quality acting.
Tropic Thunder opens with hilarious movie trailers respective to each actor, magnifying the sometimes ridiculous aspects of the film industry. I found Robert Downey’s character to be the most interesting. Lazarus is a method actor from Australia who gets his skin surgically altered in order for him to play the part of a black soldier.
Lazarus adopts any and all perceived affectations and speech patterns based on his own obvious prejudices. The comedic value of this character alone made this movie worth seeing, but if that’s not your thing, there’s plenty of other ways this film will make you laugh. The writing was top notch, the only lull being in the rescue scene, where we have to endure a longer than comfortable journey into self discovery. I was slightly disappointed that Jack Black, and by extension Jeff Portnoy, was completely overshadowed throughout the movie.
Portnoy didn’t mesh very well with the rest of the ensemble and stuck out like a sore thumb, much like his real life counterpart. He would have had a better impact if he had died early in the film. This is definitely a fun romp at the movie theatre, second only to Pineapple Express in this year’s comedic offerings.
