Tropic Thunder (Ben Stiller, 2008) ***

Dir. Ben Stiller
Starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T. Jackson, Steve Coogan, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride

A little over a decade ago, Ben Stiller directed a film called THE CABLE GUY. It was a daring move considering it starred the biggest box office star at the time, Jim Carrey, and put him in a dark comedy that many of his fans didn't get. The movie wasn't without flaws, but it showed plenty of promise for Stiller as a director willing to take chances. It was unfortunate then to see Stiller mired in a bunch of predictably boring choices such as MEET THE PARENTS, STARSKY & HUTCH, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, and ZOOLANDER. That's why Stiller’s latest effort TROPIC THUNDER is so refreshing, because it recalls the Stiller that was willing to take chances and risk offending his audience.

TROPIC THUNDER is about the making of a war movie set during the Vietnam war. The production is running through several problems, mainly because the big name stars are not getting along on the set. They include the big action movie star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), whose career has been dwindling of late; serious Australian thespian Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), who has undergone a procedure so he can play an African-American sergeant; and lowbrow comedy star Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), who battles a serious drug problem. These egos cause major disruption on the set, so the frustrated director decides to send them into the jungle so they can experience firsthand what combat was like. The actors get more than they bargained for when they accidentally find themselves in a very real war with a drug kingpin.

Stiller quickly introduces us to the characters by showing the trailers for some of their most notable films. This is cleverly done without any notice that the movie has started. The trailers are a little too over the top and not quite as funny as the ones seen in GRINDHOUSE or THE HOLIDAY, but they’re funny enough to open the movie to a good start. It’s an early sign that Stiller isn’t interested in keeping things realistic. The whole film exists in a kind of exaggerated reality that is close enough to be recognizable but far away enough to prevent a real connection with the characters. In a satire, that isn’t too bad, as long as it still makes incisive points and does so in a funny way.

Thankfully, unlike the surprisingly impotent satire that Hollywood has delivered of late (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and AMERICAN DREAMZ), Stiller is willing to push the boundaries of taste and offend just about anyone. TOPIC THUNDER includes among other things: a young boy being tossed off a bridge for comedic effect, Robert Downey Jr. in black makeup, a spoof of movies about mentally disabled people, and an extended Jack Black comedic riff where he offers some disgusting things if his co-stars will untie him from a tree. Of course, Stiller avoids being considered completely mean-spirited because he’s really attacking the same Hollywood system that has made him a success, and many of the jabs could be considered jokes at Stiller’s expense as much as anyone else.

TROPIC THUNDER owes a lot to the films of Judd Apatow, whose works have brought adult comedy back to life. It’s not a surprise then that several Apatow regulars show up here. Jay Baruchel (UNDECLARED, KNOCKED UP) plays perhaps the only sensible person in the entire film, and is incredulous that none of the other actors have read the novel the movie is based on, or even read their script. (Downey’s hilarious nonsensical retort: “I don’t read the script. The script reads me.”) Danny McBride hops on over from a hilarious performance in the very recent Pineapple Express and is very funny once again as the overly enthusiastic special effects coordinator. Finally, Bill Hader (SUPERBAD, KNOCKED UP, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) appears as the studio chief’s assistant, whose boss tells him that his job could be done by a trained monkey.

However, the performance that really deserves to be talked about is Robert Downey Jr. He’s had an inconsistent career, but when he’s on his game (SOAPDISH, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, TWO GIRLS AND A GUY) he proves to be one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. He already started his comeback earlier this year with a stellar turn in IRON MAN, and his brilliant performance here completes the turnaround. Downey’s not doing blackface, as some people have erroneously reported. He’s playing an ultra-serious Australian method actor (think Russell Crowe) who has undergone a procedure to play an African-American character. Downey’s performance is pitch perfect, hilariously lampooning the Hollywood view of what a black character should look and sound like. Everything Spike Lee was trying to say in Bamboozled was said in a much more incisive (and funny) way here. In an era where Hollywood pats itself on the back for the ludicrously simplistic examination of racial affairs in the Oscar winning CRASH, Downey’s character is a welcome wake up call.

Stiller’s movie isn’t without flaws. It runs into several problems during the third act that really slow down the proceedings. The revelation of the leader of the drug gang is a joke that falls completely flat, as the character is incessantly annoying, sapping much of the comic momentum created by the rest of the cast. Also, the third act relies too much on conventional plot elements to find an ending. There’s still some good stuff there, but not quite as funny as the more loosely structured middle act. Despite the flaws, TROPIC THUNDER is a very funny movie that proves Stiller still has talent as a director and Downey is one of the best modern actors.