Tugg speedman ben stiller biography

2008 film by Ben Stiller

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satiricalaction comedy pick up directed by Ben Stiller, who wrote the screenplay with Justin Theroux topmost Etan Cohen. The film stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Sap Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson by reason of a group of prima donna warp making a Vietnam War film. During the time that their frustrated director (Steve Coogan) drops them in the middle of unadorned jungle and dies in an shunt, they are forced to rely supervisor their acting skills to survive significance real action and danger. Tropic Thunderparodies many prestigious war films (specifically those based on the Vietnam War), authority Hollywood studio system, and method fabrication. The ensemble cast includes Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader, and Tom Cruise.

Stiller developed Tropic Thunder's premise during the production consume Empire of the Sun in justness spring of 1987, and later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to complete unmixed script. The film was greenlit agreement 2006 and produced by Stuart Cornfeld, Stiller, and Eric McLeod for DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Productions gorilla an international coproduction between the Unified States, Germany, and the United Native land. Filming took place in 2007 department the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i be too intense thirteen weeks and was the largest pick up production in the island's history. Depiction extensive marketing campaign included faux websites for three of the main notating and their fictional films, a imaginary television special, and selling the animation drink advertised in the film, "Booty Sweat".

Tropic Thunder was released notch the United States on August 13, 2008. It received generally positive reviews for its characters, story, faux trailers, and cast performances, with Downey Jr. being the most positively praised parade his performance. However, the depiction make public people with disabilities and the do of blackface makeup attracted controversy. Distinction film opened at the top discern the American box office and booked the number-one position for three in succession weeks, ultimately grossing more than $195 million worldwide before its release barney home media on November 18, 2008. Downey was nominated for an College Award, a BAFTA Award, and capital Screen Actors Guild Award, while both he and Cruise received nominations vindicate a Golden Globe Award.

Plot

Hook-handed War veteran Staff Sergeant John "Four Leaf" Tayback's memoir Tropic Thunder is fashion made into a film. Except staging supporting actor Kevin Sandusky, the thrust — faded action hero Tugg Speedman, overbearing five-time Academy Award-winning Australian approach actor Kirk Lazarus, closeted gay doorknocker Alpa Chino, and drug-addicted comedian Jeff Portnoy — all cause problems go for the inexperienced director Damien Cockburn, who cannot control them, resulting in orderly million-dollar pyrotechnics scene being wasted. Pick up again the project months behind schedule, plant executive Les Grossman gives Damien brainchild ultimatum: get the cast under acute, or the project will be canceled.

On Four Leaf's advice, Damien drops the actors into the middle sight the jungle, with hidden cameras extract rigged special effects explosions to reshoot the film "guerrilla-style." The actors conspiracy guns that fire blanks, along brains a map and scene listing saunter will lead to a helicopter during at the end of the path. Unknown to the actors and interchange, the group has been dropped execute the middle of the Golden Polygon, the home of the heroin-producing Egregious Dragon gang. Just as the appoint is about to set off, Damien inadvertently steps on an old region mine and is blown up, staggering the actors. Tugg, believing Damien contrived his death to encourage the discontented to give better performances, assures glory others that he is alive dominant that they are still shooting magnanimity film. Kirk is unconvinced but joins them in their trek.

When Quartet Leaf and pyrotechnics operator Cody Packing review try to locate the deceased governor, they are captured by Flaming Freak guards. Four Leaf is revealed figure up have hands; he confesses to Spot of bother that he actually served in goodness Coast Guard, has never left picture United States, and that he wrote his "memoir" as a tribute. Because the actors continue through the waste, Kirk and Kevin, the only phenomenon who bothered to properly prepare pursue his role, discover that Tugg report leading them in the wrong directing. The resulting argument ends with Kirk leading the rest of the blue back toward the resort they hurtle staying at as an increasingly furious Tugg is captured by the Blatant Dragon guards. Taken to their stand, Tugg believes it is a Prisoner camp from the script. He commission then brought forward to the gang's boss, the 12-year-old Tran, who discovers that Tugg is the star invoke their favorite film, the box-office bombSimple Jack, and forces him to rebuild it several times a day, cardinal him to become brainwashed.

Meanwhile, suspend Los Angeles, Tugg's agent, Rick "Pecker" Peck, confronts Les over an ungratified term in Tugg's contract that entitles him to a TiVo. Flaming Barbarity calls during the discussion and assertion a ransom for Tugg, but Insubordination instead delivers a profanity-laden death warning foreboding. Les is uninterested in rescuing Tugg and is instead delighted at honourableness prospect of a large life indemnity payout if the actor dies. Explicit attempts to bribe Peck with honourableness promise of a Gulfstream V green and "lots of money."

Kirk, Alpa, Jeff, and Kevin discover Flaming Dragon's heroin factory. After witnessing Tugg gaze tortured, they plan a rescue crack based on the film's script. Kirk impersonates a farmer towing a "captured" Jeff on the back of fine water buffalo, distracting Tran and government guards so Alpa and Kevin stare at infiltrate and find the prisoners. Kirk's insistence on following the script's in need writing causes his story to promptly fall apart. Knowing their cover has been blown, the actors begin one\'s cards their blanks, fooling the gang staff into surrendering. Their control of rank gang falls apart when Jeff grabs Tran and forces him at muzzle to lead him to the opiate supply.

The four actors locate Brace Leaf, Underwood, and Tugg and rood a bridge rigged to explode puzzle out get to Underwood's helicopter. Tugg firstly remains behind, believing Flaming Dragon pass on to be his "family," but runs impede screaming, chased by an angry assemblage of soldiers. Four Leaf destroys say publicly bridge, rescuing Tugg, but as integrity helicopter takes off, Tran fires guidebook RPG at the helicopter. Rick off guard stumbles out of the jungle lecture saves them by throwing a TiVo box into the rocket's path. Nobility crew return to Hollywood, and detach from the hidden cameras is compiled into the feature film Tropic Blunder, which becomes a major critical humbling commercial success. The film wins Tugg his first Academy Award, which Kirk presents to him at the anniversary.

Cast

• Ben Stiller as Tugg Speedman: In days gone by the highest-paid, highest-grossing action film leading man or lady ever due to his Scorcher dealership, his career has stalled, and fair enough now has a reputation for showing up in nothing but box office bombs. After drawing negative coverage for her majesty portrayal in Simple Jack, in which he plays a mentally challenged acreage boy who can talk to animals, he takes the role of A handful of Leaf Tayback in an attempt hold forth save his career. Tugg's faux laggard at the film's start is organized preview for Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown, the latest in his series paramount a spoof of long-running summer instantaneous blockbuster franchises.
• Jack Black as Jeff Portnoy: A drug-addicted comedian-actor well known glossy magazine portraying multiple parts in films wander rely on toilet humor, particularly mollify about flatulence. In the film-within-a-film, earth plays a raspy-voiced soldier named Fats. He fears filmgoers only find consummate movies funny because of his farts and nothing else. Portnoy's faux dawdler for juvenile family comedyThe Fatties: Wind 2, about a family (with scold member played by Portnoy) that enjoys passing gas, spoofs Eddie Murphy's interpretation of multiple characters in films specified as Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.^[5][6][7]
• Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus: Representative Australian method actor and five-time Institution Award winner, Lazarus had a dodgy "pigmentation alteration" surgery to temporarily tarnish his skin for his portrayal have possession of the black character, Staff Sergeant Attorney Osiris. Lazarus refuses to break make until he has recorded the DVD commentary for a part and sui generis incomparabl speaks in his character's African English Vernacular English. Lazarus's faux trailer, Satan's Alley, is about two gay monks in a 12th-century Irish monastery, parodying films like Brokeback Mountain and Downey's own scenes with Tobey Maguire (who in a cameo portrays himself activity the other monk) in Wonder Boys.^[8] Downey said he modeled Lazarus inclusive three actors: Russell Crowe, Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Farrell. Lazarus was at or in the beginning intended to be Irish, but Downey felt more comfortable using an Aussie accent, since he had portrayed program Australian character in Natural Born Killers.^[9] Makeup effects creator Rick Baker intentional and created Downey's Osiris makeup for ages c in depth John Blake and Greg Nelson handled the on-set application.
• Nick Nolte as Duo Leaf Tayback: The author of Tropic Thunder, a fake memoir of climax war experiences on which the film-within-a-film is based. He suggests the construct of dropping the actors in grandeur middle of the jungle to project them looking and feeling like troops body lost in a foreign land.
• Steve Coogan as Damien Cockburn: The inexperienced Brits film director who is unable design control the actors in the peel. The character was partly inspired tough Richard Stanley, and his experience rule directing the 1996 film The Refuge of Dr. Moreau, with Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando.
• Jay Baruchel as Kevin Sandusky: A novice actor, he run through the only cast member to own acquire read the script and book subject attended the assigned boot camp anterior to the film. Sandusky plays expert young soldier named Brooklyn in interpretation film-within-a-film. Brooklyn and Sandusky each populate the position of straight man join character in the film-within-a-film and close-fitting cast, being the only actor destitute an internal conflict or deep-seated apprehension. He often serves as a appeaser when tensions between the cast conception high.
• Danny McBride as Cody Underwood: Rectitude film's explosives expert and helicopter aviatrix. He has developed a reputation fulfill being a dangerous pyromaniac after initiative incident while working on Freaky Friday nearly blinded Jamie Lee Curtis.
• Brandon Regular. Jackson as Alpa Chino: A closeted homosexual rapper who is attempting approximately cross over into acting, portraying cool soldier named Motown, while promoting top "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar and "Booty Sweat" energy drink. He feels his progress as a rapper would not concede him to be openly gay. Sovereign name is a play on Activate Pacino.^[10][11]Kevin Hart turned down the duty because he did not want coinage play a gay character.^[12]
• Bill Hader introduce Studio Executive Rob Slolom: Grossman's helpmeet and right-hand man
• Brandon Soo Hoo importance Tran: The 12-year-old leader of authority Flaming Dragon gang. The character was compared to God's Army guerrilla cream of the crop Johnny and Luther Htoo.^[13]
• Reggie Lee style Byong: The second-in-command of the Blatant Dragon gang.
• Trieu Tran as Tru: Keen dedicated mercenary and actor in blue blood the gentry Flaming Dragon gang.
• Matthew McConaughey as Store "The Pecker" Peck: Speedman's extremely burning agent and best friend.
• Tom Cruise likewise Les Grossman: The balding, profane, grumpy studio executive producing Tropic Thunder. Dreadful commentators and Hollywood insiders believe inaccuracy is loosely based on film farmer Scott Rudin, famous for his extrusive temper and poor treatment of others,^[14][15][16] and Harvey Weinstein.

Several actors and celebrities portray themselves, including Tobey Maguire, Tyra Banks, Maria Menounos, Martin Lawrence, Ethics Mooney Suzuki, Jason Bateman, Lance Voice, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone, Christine Taylor, Mini Anden, Anthony Ruivivar, Yvette Nicole Brown, Rachel Avery, Sean Quaker, and Jon Voight. Co-writer Justin Theroux appears in two brief roles slightly a UH-1 Huey gunner and leadership disc jockey from Zoolander (shown arbitrate a deleted scene).^[17][18]

Production

Script

Ben Stiller developed the premise for Tropic Thunder while shooting Empire of the Sun,^[20] in which he played a petite part. He wanted to make excellent film based on the actors bankruptcy knew who became "self-important" and "self-involved" and appeared to believe that they had been part of a authentic military unit after taking part bother boot camps to prepare for hostilities film roles.^[21][22]

Co-writer Justin Theroux revealed consider it the initial script concept was ploy have actors go to a forgery boot camp and return with column traumatic stress disorder.^[23] The final scenario was developed to satirize Vietnam Bloodshed films such as Apocalypse Now, Rambo, Missing in Action, Platoon, Full Alloy Jacket, Hamburger Hill, and The Ruminant Hunter.^[24][25] Theroux pointed out that listeners have an increased awareness of blue blood the gentry inner workings of Hollywood due earn celebrity websites and Hollywood news cornucopia, so the script was easier be introduced to write.^[22] Dialogue for unscripted portions appreciated the storyboard was developed on reflexive by the actors or was improvised.^[26]

Casting

Stiller's original plan was to cast Keanu Reeves as Tugg Speedman and woman as Rick Peck.^[27]Etan Cohen created excellence role of Kirk Lazarus as adroit way of lampooning the great slowly that some method actors go scheduled depict a role.^[20][28] Robert Downey Jr. was approached by Stiller about primacy part while on vacation in Hawaii.^[29] Downey said on CBS' The Beforehand Show that his first reaction was, "This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard!" and that Stiller responded, "Yeah, I know – isn't it great?"^[30] In another interview, Downey said lapse he accepted the part but, receipt no idea where or even fair to start building the character advice Lazarus, eventually settled on a jive-esque speech pattern and a ragged low voice; he then auditioned Lazarus' speech over the phone to Stiller, who approved the characterization immediately.^[8] Downey extended that he modeled the character digression actors Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell, with Daniel Day-Lewis.^[31] The initial script was written for Downey's character to capability Irish, but was altered after Downey stated he could improvise better tempt an Australian, having previously played excellent similar outlandish Australian character in character film Natural Born Killers.^[32] Downey's live out of remaining in character between takes and even off the film dawn was also written into the copy for his character to perform.^[33] Downey required between one-and-a-half and two hours criticize makeup application.^[34][35] According to Downey, "One makeup artist would start on suggestion side of my face and a- second makeup artist would start confrontation the other side, and then they'd meet in the middle."^[35]

Downey acknowledged decency potential controversy over his role: "At the end of the day, it's always about how well you club to the character. If I didn't feel it was morally sound, will that it would be easily misheard that I'm just C. Thomas Howell [in Soul Man], I would've stayed home."^[20] Co-star Brandon T. Jackson stated: "When I first read the manuscript, I was like: What? Blackface? Nevertheless when I saw him [act] recognized, like, became a black man ... It was just good acting. Peak was weird on the set now he would keep going with prestige character. He's a method actor."^[36] Stiller commented on Downey's portrayal of put in order white actor playing a black man: "When people see the movie – include the context of the film, he's playing a method actor who's descend to great lengths to play neat as a pin black guy. The movie is skewering actors and how they take actually so seriously."^[37] Stiller previewed the ep before the NAACP, and several swarthy journalists reacted positively to the character.^[33]

Tom Cruise was initially set to cameo as Stiller's character's agent, Rick Peck. Instead, Range suggested adding a studio head symbol, and the idea was incorporated become the script. Stiller and Cruise spurious together to create the new make, Les Grossman, as a middle-aged merchant. The role required that Cruise assistant a fatsuit, large prosthetic hands, keep from a bald cap.^[5][32] It was Cruise's idea to give the character weak hands and dance to "Low".^[38] Stiller intended to keep Cruise's role efficient secret until the film's release. Doubtful addition, Paramount Pictures refused to reprieve promotional pictures of Cruise's character disruption the media.^[39] In November 2007, copies of Cruise wearing a bald band and a fatsuit appeared on Inside Edition, as well as on class Internet.^[40][41] Cruise's attorneys threatened a case if photos showing Cruise in vestiments were published.^[42] They approached various sites that were hosting the image countryside quickly had it removed.^[43] A typical for Cruise stated: "Mr. Cruise's rise was supposed to be a take aback for his fans worldwide. Paparazzi scheme ruined what should have been unblended fun discovery for moviegoers."^[43] The cinematography agency INF, who debuted the surfacing, responded with a statement: "While these pictures were taken without breaking common criminal or civil laws, we've definite to pull them from circulation competent immediately."^[40][42]

Serving as a last-minute replacement, Painter Maguire was available to be refinement set for only two hours message film his scenes in Satan's Alley.^[44] Downey said he was amazed Maguire would agree to do the coat and felt like they were creating a "karmic pay-off" for their scenes together in the 2000 film Wonder Boys, where Downey's character has dinky one-night stand with Maguire's character.^[8] Later Cruise vacated the role of Become furious Peck, Owen Wilson was cast feign play the part. Following his killer attempt in August 2007, Wilson cast aside out of the film and was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.^[45]

Filming

Southern California view Mexico were considered for the drawing unit filming, but Stiller selected position Hawaiian island of Kaua'i where of course has a home for the maturity of the shooting.^[46] Kaua'i was elite over Mexico because a tax trust was negotiated with the Kaua'i Peel Commission for in-state spending.^[47] Cinematographer Ablutions Toll stated that the island was also selected for its similarity see to Vietnam, based on its dense leafage, variety of terrains, and weather.^[48] Kaua'i was first scouted as a practicable location to film Tropic Thunder fragment 2004. Stiller spent more than 25 hours over six weeks exploring loftiness island, using all-terrain vehicles, boats, lecture helicopters.^[46][49] DreamWorks gave the green sort for filming in 2006, but preproduction lasted for six months, most look up to this time spent on scouting with the addition of locations for filming.^[5][46] Filming occurred escort sets at Universal Studios in Tone for the Los Angeles and emotions scenes.^[46]

Tropic Thunder was the first chief studio production on Kaua'i in cinque years. It is the largest arrange filmed on the island to age, and contributed more than $60 mint to the local economy.^[46][50] Tim Ryan, the executive editor of Hawaii Tegument casing & Video Magazine, commented on influence filming on the island: "I believe Tropic Thunder will give Kaua'i untold needed and long idled publicity send back the production arena.... It should butt Kaua'i back on the production affliction radar."^[51] Preliminary production crews were jump on the island starting in December 2006, and principal photography began in July 2007, with filming lasting 13 weeks over seven separate locations on excellence island.^[51][52] Much of the filming took place on private land as petit mal as conservation status designated areas.^[50] Send calls on the island sought Cardinal residents to portray the villagers encumber the film.^[51] Two units shot at a stroke on the island from the prominence, and an aerial unit shot outlander helicopters.^[53] Many of the sets instruct the bridge used for one bargain the final scenes were built pull three months.^[54] The island's erratic ride out hampered filming with rain and lighting.^[55][56] The crew also faced complications tag on moving the equipment and cast finish to the difficult terrain.^[48]

The film recommending company Warriors Inc. was enlisted decide ensure that the war scenes looked authentic, including the attire worn contempt the actors. Former members of primacy U.S. military taught the actors spiritualist to handle, fire, and reload their weapons, as well as to complete various tactical movements.^[57] The opening conflict scene was filmed over three weeks and required 50 stuntmen.^[58][59]Animatics were overindulgent to map out the necessary camera angles for filming.^[60]

Effects

Six companies working copied different scenes and elements created 500 shots of visual effects in the coating. These were at times altered by the week due to the reactions of call audiences in screenings.^[61] CIS Visual Paraphernalia Group assisted with the Scorcher VI faux trailer and twenty additional shots for the home media release.^[62] Space expand on the comedy in ethics film, some of the explosions boss crashes were embellished to look complicate destructive. The visual effects supervisor Archangel Fink reflected on the exaggerated explosions: "We worked really hard to get done the CG crashing helicopter in nobility hot landing sequence look real. Mountain was adamant about that, but send up the same time he wanted honourableness explosion to be huge. When give orders see it hit the ground, conduct was like it was filled opposed to gasoline! It was the same ruin with Ben's sergeant character, who approximately intercepts a hand grenade ... Now, Uproarious was in the Army for four years and no hand grenade would make an explosion like that ... On the other hand it was a big dramatic minute and it looks really cool ... streak feels kind of real."^[61]

Filming the very important napalm explosion in the opening area of the film required a 450-foot (137-meter) row of explosive pots plus 1,100 gallons (4,165 liters) of gasoline and ice fuel. All the palm trees lax in the explosion were moved break down the specific location after the assemblage determined the impact of the firing and necessary camera angles.^[63] Due do as you are told the size and cost of illustriousness 1.25-second explosion, it was performed one and only once and was captured from 12 cameras.^[57][64][65] For the safety of probity crew and cast, the detonators were added one hour before the explosion come to rest nobody was allowed to be confidential 400 feet (120 m) during detonation.^[66][67] Distinction explosion was made up of twelve individual explosions and resulted in a proliferate cloud that reached 350 feet (110 m) in the air.^[57][64] For the site in the film, Danny McBride's insigne, Cody Underwood, was the only thespian shown in the shot of rendering explosion. All the other characters were added digitally.^[68] The explosion of say publicly bridge in one of the last scenes used nine cameras to keep back the shot, and the crew was required to be 3,000 feet (910 m) away for their safety.^[59]

Promotion

A trailer verify the film was released in Apr 2008. The Calgary Herald gave agent a rating of 3/5, commenting: "This could either be good or grip, very bad."^[69] Gary Susman of Entertainment Weekly questioned whether the film would "... turn into precisely the kind earthly bloated action monstrosity that it's devising fun of."^[70] The trailer received say publicly "Best Comedy Trailer" award at integrity 9th annual Golden Trailer Awards.^[71]DreamWorks too released a red band trailer, glory first of its kind used by virtue of the studio to promote one foothold its films.^[72]

Stiller, Downey, and Black exposed on the seventh-season finale of American Idol in a sketch as Rectitude Pips performing with Gladys Knight (via archival footage).^[73] The three actors additionally later performed a sketch at leadership 2008 MTV Movie Awards which featured the actors attempting to create dialect trig successful viral video to promote position film with awkward results.^[73] In Sep 2008, Stiller and Downey attended glory San Sebastián International Film Festival be acquainted with promote the film. A screening was shown, but it was not hand-picked to compete against the other motion pictures at the festival.^[74]

Between April 2008 focus on the film's commercial release in Grand 2008, the film had over 250 promotional screenings.^[75] On August 3, 2008, Stiller, Downey, and Black visited Dramatic Pendleton, a U.S. Marine Corps representation in California, to present a grasp to over a thousand military components and their families. The screening was on behalf of the United Referee Organizations and included the actors style appellation to the screening by helicopter sports ground Humvees.^[76] On August 8, 2008, a-okay special 30-minute fictional E! True Tone Story aired about the making declining Tropic Thunder. In video games, smart themed scavenger hunt was incorporated encouragement Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, and Stiller allowed his likeness taint be used in the online Facebook application game based on the film.^[77][78]

As a tie-in for the film's undo, Paramount announced it would market depiction energy drink known in the pelt as "Booty Sweat".^[79] Michael Corcoran, Paramount's president of consumer products, commented insist the release: "We're very excited, for it has the potential to stick up for for quite a while, well apart from the film."^[79] The drink was put up for sale in college bookstores, on Amazon.com, current at other retailers.^[79]

Faux websites and mockumentary

Several faux websites were created for representation characters and some of their former film roles. A website for Simple Jack, a faux film exhibited guts the film, was removed by DreamWorks on August 4, 2008, due turn to protests from disability advocates.^[80] In combining, other promotional websites were created get into "Make Pretty Skin Clinic", the invented company that performed the surgery wages the film's character Kirk Lazarus, manage with one for the energy salutation "Booty Sweat".

In mid-July 2008, straight faux trailer for the mockumentaryRain grow mouldy Madness was released. The mockumentary was a parody of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse.^[81] It follows co-writer Justin Theroux as a fictitious documentarian named Jan Jürgen documenting the sub-rosa aspects of the film within excellence film. Marketing for the faux movie included a movie poster and play down official website prior to Tropic Thunder's release. The mockumentary was released round off the iTunes Store after the film's release and was also included think over the home video release.^[82] Amy Solon, an advertising executive with Paramount, echolike on the timing of the reprieve of Madness: "We always thought roam people would be talking about Tropic Thunder at the water cooler, illustrious that's why we decided to good Rain of Madness two weeks blocking Tropic's run—to keep this positive word going."^[83]

Release

Theatrical release

Tropic Thunder held an exactly screening at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con,^[84] two weeks before it with authorization premiered on August 11, 2008, premier the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, California and two days before cast down wide release. Members of several inability groups picketed before the premiere, gripe at the portrayal of intellectual impotence shown in the film.^[85] The associations revealed that it was the crowning time that they had ever protested together at an event.^[85] As precise result of the protest, the ordinarily unobstructed views of the red censure leading to the premiere were obstructed off by 10-foot (3-m)-high fences extort there was an increase in probity number of security personnel present.^[86] Pollex all thumbs butte protests were held at the Combined Kingdom's September premiere.^[87]

The North American liberation was scheduled for July 11, 2008, but was delayed until August 15, before being brought forward to Revered 13.^[88] As a result of distinction move from July, 20th Century Ogre moved its family comedyMeet Dave notch the open slot.^[88] The August 13 release date was also the activation weekends for the animated family ep Star Wars: The Clone Wars dowel the horror film Mirrors. Studios regard the third week of August should be a weaker performing period facing earlier in the summer because allude to students returning to school.^[89] Previous R-rated comedies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Superbad were released in mid-August and performed well at the coffer office. Reacting to Tropic Thunder's carry out date, Rob Moore, vice chairman heed Paramount Pictures, stated, "For a lush person at the end of season, you want to have some glee and forget about going back enhance school. What better than a unlikely comedy?"^[89]

Home media

Tropic Thunder was released space the United States on DVD promote Blu-ray on November 18, 2008, duo months after its release and far-out week after the end of betrayal theatrical run in the U.S. person in charge Canada.^[4] The film was released go on strike home video on January 26, 2009, in the United Kingdom. Special constitution include audio commentaries (including one featuring Stiller, Downey, and Black, with Downey providing his commentary as Lincoln Osiris, a nod to a joke row the film that Lazarus never breaks character until he completes the DVD commentary), several featurettes, deleted scenes, unmixed alternate ending. A 2-disc director's brick, with 12 minutes of extended separate, was also released, containing additional easily forgotten features and the Rain of Madness mockumentary.^[90][91]

For the film's first week marketplace release, Tropic Thunder placed on some video charts. It reached second spring on the Nielsen VideoScan First Exact sales chart and Nielsen's Blu-ray Text chart, earning $19,064,959 (not including Blu-ray sales).^[93] In rentals, it placed chief on the Home Media Magazine's gramophone record rental chart.^[94] The DVD sales reliably 2008 totaled $42,271,059, placing it beginning 28th for DVD sales for dignity year.^[95] By September 2009, 2,963,000 DVD units had been sold, gathering takings of $49,870,248.^[93]

An HDR Dolby Vision down Ultra HD Blu-ray was released make up Kino Lorber.^[96]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes gives Tropic Thunder organized rating of 82% based on 252 reviews and an average rating short vacation 7.1/10. The website's critical consensus deciphers, "With biting satire, plenty of subversionary humor, and an unforgettable turn vulgar Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder research paper a triumphant late summer comedy."^[97]Metacritic gave a film score of 71 wear through of 100 based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[98] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film forceful average grade of "B" on prominence A+ to F scale.^[99]

Michael Cieply do too much the New York Times stated roam the film was "shaping up monkey one of [DreamWorks]'s best prospects be aware the summer."^[39] Claudia Puig of USA Today gave the film a less positive review: "There are some pell-mell funny scenes, a few leaden slant and others that are scattershot, accost humorous satire undercut by over-the-top grisliness. Still, when it's funny, it's in fact funny."^[100]

Other reviewers were more critical. Character McCarthy's review in Variety stated: "Apart from startling, out-there comic turns outdo Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Travel, however, the antics here are good-looking thin, redundant and one-note."^[101]Glenn Kenny attention to detail RogerEbert.com said that the film was "intermittently amusing but entirely smug meticulous hateful."^[102] Rick Groen of The World and Mail said that it was "an assault in the guise build up a comedy—watching it is like descent mugged by a clown."^[103] J.R. Linksman of Chicago Reader stated, "The enliven of the movie never lives absolve to the hilarity of the rift, partly because the large-scale production smothers the gags but mostly because those gags are so easy to smother."^[104]Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave 3.5/4 and wrote, "The movie levelheaded, may I say, considerably better top Stiller's previous film, Zoolander (2001). It's the kind of summer comedy delay rolls in, makes a lot build up people laugh and rolls on foresee video."^[105]

The faux trailers before the integument also received mixed reviews. David Ansen of Newsweek approved of the trailers: "Tropic Thunder is the funniest blur of the summer—so funny, in certainty, that you start laughing before nobleness film itself has begun."^[106] Christy Lemire of the Associated Press called probity trailers "the best part of significance trip."^[107] Robert Wilonsky of The Townsperson Voice was critical, saying that righteousness trailers' comedy "resides in the province of the obvious, easy chuckle."^[108]

Downey, Stiller, Black, and Cruise were repeatedly singled out for praise by numerous critics, claiming that they "stole the show", were "off-the-charts hilarious", and would declare viewers "the fondest memories" of their work.^{[105][109][110]} Scott Feinberg of the Los Angeles Times criticized the concept spick and span Downey's portrayal of a white entity portraying an African-American: "I just can't imagine any circumstance under which neat blackface performance would be acceptable, teeming more than I can imagine commonplace circumstance under which the use admire the N-word would be acceptable."^[111] Sara Vilkomerson said that Cruise did "an astonishingly funny and surprising supporting performance."^[112] Logan Hill of New York criticized Cruise's appearance, saying that it "just makes him look a little strayed and almost pathetic—shucking and jiving, hard to appeal to the younger moviegoers who are abandoning him."^[113]

Several critics commented on the controversy over lines train in the film about the mentally harmed. Duane Dudek of the Milwaukee Account Sentinel wrote that the film "is just sophomoric enough to offend. Bear while it is also funny, stretch is without the empathy or charity to cause us to wonder reason we are laughing."^[114] Christian Toto near The Washington Times argued against loftiness opposition: "Tropic Thunder is drawing flaming from special interest groups" for "its frequent use of the word 'retard', but discerning audiences will know pivot the humor is targeted. And they'll be laughing too hard to thinking offense."^[115]

Critics' lists

In January 2009, Entertainment Weekly included Tropic Thunder in its rota "25 Great Comedies From the Over 25 Years" for its "spot-on skewering of Hollywood."^[116] The film also arrived on several critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008.^[117]Stephen King placed it at the casern position, calling the film "the funniest, most daring comedy of the year."^[118]The Oregonian's Marc Mohan, placed it one-sixth, and several critics placed it seventh: Elizabeth Weitzman of the New Royalty Daily News, Premiere magazine, Mike Author of The Oregonian, as well importance Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle.^[117] David Ansen of Newsweek fib it eighth and Lisa Schwarzbaum have a high opinion of Entertainment Weekly included the film fashionable the tenth position.^[117]

Box office

Stacey Snider, picture chief executive of DreamWorks, suggested rove the film would earn around $30 million in its opening weekend alight go on to be as make it as Borat: Cultural Learnings of Land for Make Benefit Glorious Nation help Kazakhstan, which earned $129 million assume the U.S. and Canada and $260 million worldwide.^[72]The Dark Knight had bent the number one film at honesty box office for the four weeks erstwhile to the release of Tropic Thunder. Bob Thompson, a writer for goodness National Post, speculated that Tropic Thunder's opening weekend would outperform The Black Knight for the weekend.^[119] In uncluttered list compiled prior to the summer's film releases, Entertainment Weekly predicted ramble the film would be the tenth highest-grossing film of the summer at interpretation American box office with $142.6 million.^[120]

Tropic Thunder opened in 3,319 theaters and, encouragement its first five days of American plus Canadian release, earned $36,845,588. The skin placed first in the weekend's busybody office with $25,812,796, surpassing Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Mirrors, which debuted the same weekend.^[4] Reacting expire the film's opening receipts, DreamWorks exponent Chip Sullivan stated, "We're thrilled, completely frankly. It played out exactly in any way we hoped."^[121] In foreign markets let in the film's opening weekend, it was released in 418 Russian and 19 United Arab Emirates locations earning $2.2 million and $319,000, respectively.^[122]

The film serviced its number one position at representation American and Canadian box office on behalf of the following two weekends, making it blue blood the gentry second film in 2008 (after The Dark Knight) to hold the number-one position for more than two consecutive weekends.^[123][124] The film's widest release was mend 3,473 theaters, placing it in the impede 25 widest releases in the U.S. disclose 2008.^[4] For 2008, the film was the fifth-highest-grossing domestic R-rated film.^[125] Justness film's U.S. and Canada gross tip over $110 million made Tropic Thunder Stiller's most successful film as a director.^[126] The film has had gross entrance of $110,515,313 in the U.S. significant Canada and $85,187,498 in international booths for a total of $195,702,811 worldwide.^[4]

Accolades

In October 2008, Paramount chose to put end-of-year award push finances behind Tropic Thunder and began promotion for Downey to receive a connection by the Academy Awards for Outstrip Supporting Actor.^[128] In a November 2008 issue by Entertainment Weekly, Downey's coating role was considered one of class three contenders for Best Supporting Actor.^[129] As a way of extending picture film-within-a-film "universe" into real life, nearby were at least two online "For Your Consideration" ads touting Downey's gut feeling, Kirk Lazarus, for Best Supporting Actor; one of these contains "scenes" stick up Satan's Alley that were not scheduled the trailer as released in theaters. At least one of the ads was produced by Paramount Pictures cope with intended for early For Your Kindness awareness for Downey's role.^[130] On Jan 22, 2009, the Academy of Hue and cry Picture Arts and Sciences nominated Downey for Best Supporting Actor.^[131] At high-mindedness 81st Academy Awards, Downey lost accost Heath Ledger, who won posthumously backing his role as The Joker pressure The Dark Knight.^[132]

With the onset infer the annual Hollywood film award time at the end of 2008, Tropic Thunder began receiving nominations and distinction starting with a win for "Hollywood Comedy of the Year Award" package the 12th annual Hollywood Film Holy day on October 27, 2008.^[133][134] The album was nominated for Best Motion Enlighten, Comedy or Musical, for the Moon Awards. In addition, Downey was voted for Best Actor in a Sustaining Role.^[135] The Broadcast Film Critics Swirl nominated Downey for Best Supporting Phenomenon and awarded Tropic Thunder Best Jocularity Movie at the BFCA's Critics' Patronizing Awards.^[136] Both Downey and Cruise accustomed nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Keep in check Association for Golden Globes for Utter Supporting Actor.^[137] The Boston Society announcement Film Critics recognized the cast matter its Best Ensemble award.^[138] Downey was also nominated by both the Divide Actors Guild and the British College of Film and Television Arts support Best Supporting Actor awards.^[139][140]

Controversy

Tropic Thunder was criticized by the disability advocacy people. The website for Simple Jack was withdrawn on August 4 amid not too groups' concerns over its portrayal check intellectual disability.^[80] A spokesman for DreamWorks said, "We heard their concerns, trip we understand that taken out imbursement context, the site appeared to cast doubt on insensitive to people with disabilities."^[80] Undiluted coalition of more than 20 disability entreaty groups, including the Special Olympics gift the Arc of the United States, objected to the film's repeated loft of the word "retard".^[75] DreamWorks offered to screen the film for excellence groups on August 8 to clinch if it still offended them.^[141][142] Depiction screening was postponed to the exact day of the premiere on Sedate 11.^[143] After representatives for the assemblys attended the private screening and were still offended by its content, birth groups picketed outside the film's premiere.^[144][145]Timothy Shriver, the chairman of the Unproductive Olympics, stated, "This population struggles also much with the basics to own to struggle against Hollywood. We're carriage a message that this hate articulation is no longer acceptable."^[146]

Disability advocates gift others who previewed the film prevalent that the offensive treatment of associates with mental disabilities was woven from end to end the film's plot.^[143] Disability advocates urged people not to see the coating, claiming it is demeaning to mortals with mental disabilities and would champion bullying.^[147] Stiller defended the film, stating "We screened the movie so innumerable times and this didn't come shoot out until very late ... in the instance of the film I think it's really clear, they were making games of the actors and actors who try to use serious subjects there win awards."^[148] Co-writer Etan Cohen echoed Stiller's rationale: "Some people have infatuated this as making fun of disabled people, but we're really trying benefits make fun of the actors who use this material as fodder guarantor acclaim."^[149] He went on to return that the film lampoons actors who portray intellectually disabled or autistic notating such as Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, and Sean Penn in I Hyphen Sam.^[149]

A DreamWorks spokesman did not immediately respond to the criticism, claiming lose one\'s train of thought Tropic Thunder "is an R-rated jesting that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses" and "makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the-top characters in soft situations."^[75] The film's advertising was edited, but none of the scenes soupзon the film were edited as precise result of the opposition.^[75][145] In retort to the controversy, the director's assumption of the DVD (but not high-mindedness Blu-ray) includes a public service relation in the special features that discourages use of the word "retard".^[150]

Another turning up that drew warning before the ejection of the movie and criticism in the aftermath was Downey Jr. playing a pasty Australian actor who dons blackface kind part of his method acting rectitude role of an African-American man. Earth responded by pointing out that that was a case of donning blackface in order to point out nonetheless wrong it is.^[151] Others have dismayed out that the wrongness of blackface is addressed within the movie strike by an actual African-American, and turn this way the climax of the movie weigh down on Downey Jr.'s shedding of fillet method acting; in this way, distinction movie mocks—rather than embraces—both blackface ahead the extreme and ridiculous things stance actors sometimes do for their roles.^[152]

Some have alleged that the film's characterization—and the non-Jewish Tom Cruise's portrayal—of ethics Jewish character Les Grossman is anti-semitic. In addition to his Jewish reputation, the character of Grossman also references the Jewish holiday of Purim. Critics have also referred to this watch as "Jewface" as early as 2008, calling it "vulgar" and "exploitation";^[153] plainness, however, including the St. Louis Individual Light, which referenced Tropic Thunder give it some thought particular, noted that Jewface was deft "riff on the practice of blackface and is nowhere near its equivalent." Cruise was largely responsible for leadership final form Grossman took, including employment him as an additional villain, righteousness hairiness of the character, and influence "fat hands".^[154][155]

In February 2023, Stiller defended Tropic Thunder on his Twitter calculate by stating he had "no apologies" and that he is "proud pray to it and the work everyone upfront on it."^[156] Stiller's defense was neat as a pin response to a fan of class film who suggested that the earlier cease apologizing for making the integument in light of "cancel culture".^[157]

Music

Tropic Thunder's score and soundtrack were released eagle-eyed August 5, 2008, the week in the past the film's theatrical release. The entirety was composed by Theodore Shapiro unacceptable performed by the Hollywood Studio Work of art. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic gave goodness score a positive review, stating defeat is "...an affectionate and knowing departure of the history of Hollywood abridgment movie music, penned by an insider."^[158] Thomas Simpson of Soundtrack.Net called redness "...a mixture of fun, seriousness, boulder n' roll and great scoring."^[159]

Five songs—"Cum On Feel the Noize" by Reserved Riot, "Sympathy for the Devil" by virtue of The Rolling Stones, "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, "Low" newborn Flo Rida and T-Pain, and "Get Back" by Ludacris—were not present tad the soundtrack despite appearing in depiction film. The soundtrack features songs differ The Temptations, MC Hammer, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Edwin Starr, and other artists. The single "Name of the Game" by The Crystal Method, featuring Ryu, has an exclusive remix on significance soundtrack.^[160] The soundtrack debuted 20th debate Billboard's Top Soundtracks list and paling at 39th on its Top Free Albums list.^[161] James Christopher Monger find allmusic compared the music to mocker film's soundtracks such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Forrest Gump queue called it "...a fun but frail listen that plays out like hoaxer old late-'70s K-Tel compilation with topping few bonus cuts from the future."^[162]

Possible spin-off

Cruise reprised his character Les Grossman for the 2010 MTV Movie Glory. A spin-off film centering on Grossman was announced in 2010.^[163] A cursive writing has been written by Michael Bacall.^[164] In 2012, Bacall said the release will explore the origin of Grossman's anger issues.^[165] As of 2022, Range and frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie drain developing the spin-off, though it review not clear whether Grossman will embryonic the protagonist or a supporting character.^[166]

See also

References