Tropic Thunder

Tropic Thunder is an enjoyable satire on war films, and Hollywood in general, from Ben Stiller who stars both in front of and behind the camera. Stiller shared writing duties with Justin Theroux, but took the helm in the director's chair on his own and has made the most accomplished film of his career. He also takes the lead role but it's costar Robert Downey Jr who steals every scene he's in. Stiller and Downey Jr join Jack Black as a trio of stereotypical Hollywood actors with inflated opinions of self. The three stars are cast in a Vietnam war movie, but when the director literally blows up the stars don't quite realise that the cameras are no longer running, and they attempt to complete the film anyway. A decent number of the film's laughs tend to be concentrated in the opening act, including some decent spoof trailers before the film proper. But Downey Jr. ensures even when the film loses its way ever so slightly once the stars are split up, it remains thoroughly enjoyable whenever he is on screen. He plays a 5 time Oscar winner who disappears so convincingly in his roles that for this one he has undergone skin pigmentation surgery to immerse himself in the role of an African-American hero. His sub hip-hop, jive-talking machine gun delivery is a delight and worth the price of admission alone.

Supporting turns from Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise bolster the star power, as if it's needed it, and Cruise especially enjoys himself playing an arrogant studio honcho. I can't quite work out what Stiller was thinking letting Cruise do a solo dance over the end credits - it' s bizarre, but reasonably amusing I suppose, although it worked much better earlier in the film when it actually felt like it fitted in to the screenplay. Minor and occasional quibbles aside, Tropic Thunder is a very good comedy that confirms Downey Jr's talent as one of the biggest around.

B+