The University News

Issue date: 8/18/08 Section: Culture

The Ben Stiller comedy "Tropic Thunder"

Ben Stiller has a long history of ridiculously unfunny films.

With that in mind, I expected a lot less from this Ben Stiller movie ,"Tropic Thunder." The satirical movie won't likely be a force at any talent-based awards show this year, but it does provide a few sketches of laugh-out-loud comedy.

The plot involves an attempt by stereotypical actors to create a high-budget war film. When the actors become overly self-absorbed and unproductive, the director of the film, played by Steve Coogan, displaces them into a jungle filled with hidden cameras and "controllable" threats. His hope is the realism of the jungle will ignite conviction and emotion from the narcissistic actors.

Stiller, ironically, portrays a slumping actor who wants to prove that he can still make a quality movie. His character, Tugg Speedman, is just as aloof and insulting as the rest of Stiller's roles. According to recent protest reports, this may be the most insulting character he has ever played.

However, his one-dimensional acting sort of works in this movie. In addition to his acting role, Stiller also co-wrote and directed "Tropic Thunder".

Stiller may serve as a cinematic triple threat, but Robert Downey Jr.'s character, Kirk Lazarus, provides most of the bright spots.

Lazarus stretches method acting beyond normal levels of sanity when he has his skin chemically changed for his role in the war movie. His hilarity is only amplified by the presence of rapper Alpa Chino, played by relative unknown Brandon T. Jackson.

The film also includes another, rather marginal, one-dimensional funnyman, Jack Black. Black's character provides rudimentary humor as a drug addict thousands of miles away from Hollywood.

Surprisingly, a cameo by Tom Cruise produces a few laughs too. Cruise plays Les Grossman, a Hollywood heavyweight who is financing the war movie.

Will Ben Stiller ever deviate from satire? Probably not. However, this movie serves as a step beyond recent comedies by Stiller.

I paid $9 for a ticket to see this movie and while it was worth only $6, maybe $7, "Tropic Thunder" is convincingly Stiller's best comedy since "There's Something About Mary."

ltrigg@unew.com

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