365 movies in 2023: #364 – Tropic Thunder

AI image from the prompt “Tropic Thunder.”

I plan to watch 365 movies this year because it’s good to have pointless goals. And even better than them simply being pointless, are goals with stipulations. At least two movies a week should be something I’ve never seen before and it doesn’t have to be “one movie per day” as long as I hit 365.

THE MOVIE: Tropic Thunder

Seen it before? Yes. In theaters and many more times since getting the digital download.

Thoughts: This may be the funniest movie of the past…okay, I was going to reflexively write “10 years” until I realized this movie is 15 YEARS OLD NOW. That almost breaks my brain. Anyhow, there were a lot of celebrated comedies since 2000, especially in the R-rated category like The Hangover, Napoleon Dynamite, Zoolander, Step Brothers, Suberbad, Bridesmaids, and I enjoyed most of those even if they are in the category of “saw it, but not worthy of repeat viewings” (and nothing ages like milk for me more than a Judd Apatow comedy) . In fact the only ones I would say that get close are Role Models and Game Night. But this one is just about perfection from the opening “trailers” to the closing dance. Just the way it redeemed Tom Cruise, not just from the famously “unrecognizable” (and understandably unpromoted for several reasons) role as studio head Les Grossman. (And shout out to Bill Hader as his omnipresent yes/hype man.) It is one of the best parts in a movie that pretty much only has best parts. And then there is Robert Downey Jr.’s performance. Simply perfect from beginning to end in role that for obvious reasons could have gone wrong in a thousand ways goes hilariously right. (Yes, you could “make this movie today*” and yes, I know that RDJ is not really…Australian, but it’s okay.) The way he spars with Alpa Chino throughout, especially in their famous “you people” moment, let’s them both shine. In an A-list cast that is uniformly (and unsurpisingly) great, Danny McBride nearly steals this movie playing what I can only assume is basically himself with access to explosives.

*The only part that would maybe get changed, and that even Stiller made some acknowledgment of regretting, is the “never go full…” sections. And if they did a minor adjustment to phrasing, that would be fine and wouldn’t affect the movie in any impactful way.