This is the way the summer ends.
Not with a bang, with some thunder.
Salon, Stephanie Zacharek
“Tropic Thunder” is ridiculous and deeply enjoyable, but it also flashes a mercilessly polished mirror at the “prestige” products that the movie business so glibly feeds us in order to reflect glory back on itself.
Newsweek, David Ansen
“Tropic Thunder” is the funniest movie of the summer‚Äîso funny, in fact, that you start laughing before the film itself has begun.
Rolling Stone, Peter Travers
Think of all the ways you can hurt yourself laughing, as in fall down, split your sides, bust a gut, blow your mind. You get it all in Tropic Thunder, a knockout of a comedy that keeps you laughing constantly. It’s also killer smart, lacing combustible action with explosive gags.
If there’s any question about Tropic of Thunder’s best shot at a nomination, you’ll find the answer after the cut.
Roger Ebert: All but stealing the show, Robert Downey Jr. is not merely funny but also very good and sometimes even subtle as Kirk Lazarus, an Australian actor who has won five Oscars.
Newsweek: Downey is astonishing: he’s so deep into this double role that when the characters’ ghetto accent occasionally falters, it slips into an Aussie accent.
USA Today: Downey is absurdly funny.
Salon: I don’t think I’ve enjoyed any single performance this year as much as the one [Downey] gives here — not because it’s, heaven forbid, prestigious, but because its boldness is so go-for-broke delightful.
Rolling Stone: Downey is so off-the-charts hilarious that you want to stand up and cheer.
EW: In a virtuoso turn from everyone’s favorite redeemed virtuoso, Robert Downey Jr. elegantly dispatches the mishegoss of Method acting with his double-difficulty feat of playing Kirk Lazarus.
Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum
The point is that with every character, and with every believably outrageous turn of the plot, Stiller brings real insider knowledge of — and compassion for — the big business of Hollywood make-believe to bear on a comedy that is itself a superior factory creation of make-believe.
I agree with everyone.. Downey is simply amazing. This may be disagreeable to some, but for me, Tom Cruise’s performance is the one that still lasting in my mind.
You’re right, Ryan B, but it wasn’t until this year that Hollywood really welcomed him back with open arms. Since he sobered up, he’s been climbing back up with smaller films like Zodiac and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Everyone loves a comeback story after a huge fall from grace and this is Downey’s.
I was on the fence about Tropic Thunder because of Stiller’s recent work but now I’ll definitely be seeing it. Plus I just adore Steve Coogan and have done since I discovered the genius that is I’m Alan Partridge. I suggest all of you check it out ASAP.
I await Mr. Kennedy’s response to this film. He saw it quite recently I do believe.
thanks for the focus on RDJr. Like Daren, he is my only interest in this film, though I do like the premise. I’ve followed his career for so long and have been thrilled with the notice he’s received from Iron Man. Although I tremendously respect the risks that Downey takes, I feared that this role would diminish his new status. Fortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case.
I do hope this is his Oscar year, but when he wins I’d like it to be for Best, not Supporting Actor.
. . . and I hope Stiller has a good role. Too often his characters get the sh*t end of the stick.
Robert Downey Jr has certainly had a great year, but I just want to take this moment to remind everyone, if I may, that he’s always been good. Always. That guy’s deserved an oscar for about fifteen years now. I think he deserved one last year for Zodiac. He’s as due now as Pacino was for Scent of a Woman, or Penn for Mystic River.
From the sound of it, this is my kind of movie. With Downey all over the place in so many films, this really could be his year at the Oscars. Academy voters pretty much acknowledge he’s a genius (albeit flawed), and — at the risk of sounding crass — he’s still alive to pick up his awards.
I love Downey!! He is the only reason I am excited about this movie.
This and Iron Man’s success will escalete his performance in The Soloist (if it is indeed a stand-out) as THE man Ledger has to beat to get that Oscar
He’s had such a great year so far and I can completely see all the buzz for his performances in Iron Man and Tropic Thunder being merged to get him a nomination for The Soloist – even if that performance is not particularly worthy.
be nice, RRA.
Kris always brings glow-in-the-dark party balloons.
…hey, wait a minute.
those aren’t party balloons!
😎
Oh yes, incontention.com……still scoring free hits of punch and cookies from the AD buffet table?
Glad to see that right after arguably being turned into a major movie star with IRON MAN earlier this summer, Downey is putting additional value to those dividends.
Shit, imagine the Oscars in March with both Downey and Ledger in the race for Supporting Actor….
I smell better ratings!