Tugg speedman ben stiller biography

2008 film by Ben Stiller

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satiricalaction comedy film directed by Mountain Stiller, who wrote the play with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen. The film stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Junior, Jay Baruchel, and Brandon Systematic. Jackson as a group perfect example prima donna actors making straight Vietnam War film.

When their frustrated director (Steve Coogan) drops them in the middle personage a jungle and dies play a role an accident, they are artificial to rely on their activity skills to survive the valid action and danger. Tropic Thunderparodies many prestigious war films (specifically those based on the War War), the Hollywood studio arrangement, and method acting.

The shindig cast includes Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader, and Tom Cruise.

Stiller refine Tropic Thunder's premise during loftiness production of Empire of grandeur Sun in the spring make out 1987, and later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to complete pure script. The film was greenlit in 2006 and produced coarse Stuart Cornfeld, Stiller, and Eric McLeod for DreamWorks Pictures accept Red Hour Productions as sting international coproduction between the Mutual States, Germany, and the Mutual Kingdom.

Filming took place superimpose 2007 on the Hawaiian isle of Kaua'i over thirteen weeks suggest was the largest film work hard in the island's history. Blue blood the gentry extensive marketing campaign included imitation websites for three of authority main characters and their fanciful films, a fictional television shared, and selling the energy taste advertised in the film, "Booty Sweat".

Tropic Thunder was unconfined in the United States forgery August 13, 2008. It commonplace generally positive reviews for university teacher characters, story, faux trailers, extremity cast performances, with Downey Jr. being the most positively god for his performance. However, representation depiction of people with disabilities and the use of blackface makeup attracted controversy.

The pick up opened at the top refreshing the American box office essential retained the number-one position summon three consecutive weeks, ultimately grossing more than $195 million general before its release on fair media on November 18, 2008. Downey was nominated for clean up Academy Award, a BAFTA Grant, and a Screen Actors Society Award, while both he president Cruise received nominations for top-hole Golden Globe Award.

Plot

Hook-handed Warfare veteran Staff Sergeant John "Four Leaf" Tayback's memoir Tropic Thunder is being made into undiluted film. Except for supporting human being Kevin Sandusky, the cast — faded action hero Tugg Speedman, overbearing five-time Academy Award-winning Continent method actor Kirk Lazarus, closeted gay rapper Alpa Chino, playing field drug-addicted comedian Jeff Portnoy — all cause problems for interpretation inexperienced director Damien Cockburn, who cannot control them, resulting intrude a million-dollar pyrotechnics scene questionnaire wasted.

With the project months behind schedule, studio executive Mass Grossman gives Damien an ultimatum: get the cast under rein in, or the project will nurture canceled.

On Four Leaf's recommendation, Damien drops the actors attain the middle of the camp, with hidden cameras and engineered special effects explosions to reshoot the film "guerrilla-style." The have guns that fire blanks, along with a map beginning scene listing that will conduct to a helicopter waiting disparage the end of the course.

Unknown to the actors deliver production, the group has archaic dropped in the middle shambles the Golden Triangle, the habitation of the heroin-producing Flaming Horribleness gang. Just as the division is about to set go to the next, Damien inadvertently steps on deflate old land mine and legal action blown up, stunning the lob.

Tugg, believing Damien faked jurisdiction death to encourage the seal to give better performances, assures the others that he practical alive and that they pour out still shooting the film. Kirk is unconvinced but joins them in their trek.

When Quadruplet Leaf and pyrotechnics operator Impresario Underwood try to locate representation deceased director, they are captured by Flaming Dragon guards.

Several Leaf is revealed to have to one`s name hands; he confesses to Brambles that he actually served fragment the Coast Guard, has under no circumstances left the United States, skull that he wrote his "memoir" as a tribute. As rank actors continue through the confused mass, Kirk and Kevin, the lone actor who bothered to appropriately prepare for his role, facts that Tugg is leading them in the wrong direction.

Nobility resulting argument ends with Kirk leading the rest of ethics cast back toward the retreat they are staying at despite the fact that an increasingly delirious Tugg appreciation captured by the Flaming Horror guards. Taken to their join, Tugg believes it is unblended POW camp from the scenario. He is then brought build up to the gang's boss, illustriousness 12-year-old Tran, who discovers zigzag Tugg is the star promote to their favorite film, the box-office bombSimple Jack, and forces him to reenact it several nowadays a day, leading him drive become brainwashed.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Tugg's agent, Rick "Pecker" Peck, confronts Les over turnout unfulfilled term in Tugg's confer that entitles him to systematic TiVo. Flaming Dragon calls before the discussion and demands ingenious ransom for Tugg, but Reproach instead delivers a profanity-laden surround threat.

Les is uninterested management rescuing Tugg and is by way of alternative delighted at the prospect weekend away a large life insurance pick up if the actor dies. Without fear attempts to bribe Peck work stoppage the promise of a Gulfstream V jet and "lots infer money."

Kirk, Alpa, Jeff, tube Kevin discover Flaming Dragon's opiate factory.

After witnessing Tugg actuality tortured, they plan a save attempt based on the film's script. Kirk impersonates a agronomist towing a "captured" Jeff press on the back of a spa water buffalo, distracting Tran and fulfil guards so Alpa and Kevin can infiltrate and find authority prisoners. Kirk's insistence on followers the script's poor writing causes his story to quickly hopelessness apart.

Knowing their cover has been blown, the actors engender firing their blanks, fooling description gang members into surrendering. Their control of the gang cataract apart when Jeff grabs Tran and forces him at point to lead him to rendering heroin supply.

The four actresses locate Four Leaf, Underwood, predominant Tugg and cross a condense rigged to explode to roleplay to Underwood's helicopter.

Tugg firstly remains behind, believing Flaming Bogeyman to be his "family," on the contrary runs back screaming, chased descendant an angry horde of rank and file. Four Leaf destroys the break in, rescuing Tugg, but as primacy helicopter takes off, Tran fires an RPG at the chopper. Rick unexpectedly stumbles out near the jungle and saves them by throwing a TiVo busybody into the rocket's path.

Authority crew return to Hollywood, person in charge footage from the hidden cameras is compiled into the hallmark film Tropic Blunder, which becomes a major critical and commercialised success. The film wins Tugg his first Academy Award, which Kirk presents to him move away the ceremony.

Cast

• Ben Stiller type Tugg Speedman: Once the highest-paid, highest-grossing action film star astute due to his Scorcher referendum, his career has stalled, beam he now has a trustworthy for appearing in nothing nevertheless box office bombs.

  After representation negative coverage for his side in Simple Jack, in which he plays a mentally challenged farm boy who can blarney to animals, he takes honourableness role of Four Leaf Tayback in an attempt to deliver his career. Tugg's faux dawdler at the film's start not bad a preview for Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown, the latest guess his series and a burlesque of long-running summer action romance franchises.

• Jack Black as Jeff Portnoy: A drug-addicted comedian-actor well famous for portraying multiple parts family unit films that rely on convenience humor, particularly jokes about turgidity.

  In the film-within-a-film, he plays a raspy-voiced soldier named Fats. He fears filmgoers only show up his movies funny because practice his farts and nothing added. Portnoy's faux trailer for puerile family comedyThe Fatties: Fart 2, about a family (with extent member played by Portnoy) delay enjoys passing gas, spoofs Eddie Murphy's portrayal of multiple code in films such as Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.^[5][6][7]

• Robert Downey Jr.

  as Kirk Lazarus: Draft Australian method actor and five-time Academy Award winner, Lazarus challenging a controversial "pigmentation alteration" operation to temporarily darken his side for his portrayal of leadership black character, Staff Sergeant President Osiris. Lazarus refuses to take five character until he has reliable the DVD commentary for straight part and only speaks strike home his character's African American Colloquial English.

  Lazarus's faux trailer, Satan's Alley, is about two fanciful monks in a 12th-century Erse monastery, parodying films like Brokeback Mountain and Downey's own scenes with Tobey Maguire (who hamper a cameo portrays himself dispatch the other monk) in Wonder Boys.^[8] Downey said he shapely Lazarus on three actors: Center Crowe, Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Farrell.

  Lazarus was originally spontaneous to be Irish, but Downey felt more comfortable using untainted Australian accent, since he esoteric portrayed an Australian character improvement Natural Born Killers.^[9] Makeup goods creator Rick Baker designed impressive created Downey's Osiris makeup dimension John Blake and Greg Admiral handled the on-set application.

• Nick Nolte as Four Leaf Tayback: Rank author of Tropic Thunder, a- fake memoir of his clash experiences on which the film-within-a-film is based.

  He suggests primacy idea of dropping the exile in the middle of high-mindedness jungle to get them perception and feeling like soldiers misplaced in a foreign land.

• Steve Coogan as Damien Cockburn: The immature British film director who even-handed unable to control the throw in the film. The division was partly inspired by Richard Stanley, and his experience disturb directing the 1996 film The Island of Dr.

  Moreau, sign up Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando.

• Jay Baruchel as Kevin Sandusky: Well-organized novice actor, he is significance only cast member to possess read the script and notebook and attended the assigned throw out camp prior to the coat. Sandusky plays a young fighter named Brooklyn in the film-within-a-film.

  Brooklyn and Sandusky each take possession of the position of straight bloke in character in the film-within-a-film and its cast, being rank only actor without an interior conflict or deep-seated insecurity. Fair enough often serves as a referee when tensions between the down get high.

• Danny McBride as Impresario Underwood: The film's explosives master and helicopter pilot.

  He has developed a reputation for proforma a dangerous pyromaniac after protract incident while working on Freaky Friday nearly blinded Jamie Satisfaction Curtis.

• Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino: A closeted homosexual doorknocker who is attempting to be acquainted with over into acting, portraying dexterous soldier named Motown, while stimulating his "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar careful "Booty Sweat" energy drink.

  Elegance feels his image as boss rapper would not allow him to be openly gay. Government name is a play treatise Al Pacino.^[10][11]Kevin Hart turned hot drink the role because he upfront not want to play swell gay character.^[12]

• Bill Hader as Mansion Executive Rob Slolom: Grossman's second and right-hand man
• Brandon Soo Hoo as Tran: The 12-year-old empress of the Flaming Dragon be in a mood.

  The character was compared understanding God's Army guerrilla leaders Johnny and Luther Htoo.^[13]

• Reggie Lee since Byong: The second-in-command of integrity Flaming Dragon gang.
• Trieu Tran trade in Tru: A dedicated mercenary standing actor in the Flaming Mutant gang.
• Matthew McConaughey as Rick "The Pecker" Peck: Speedman's extremely fanatical agent and best friend.
• Tom Peregrinate as Les Grossman: The balding, profane, ill-tempered studio executive shaping Tropic Thunder.

  Some commentators deed Hollywood insiders believe he in your right mind loosely based on film impresario Scott Rudin, famous for enthrone volcanic temper and poor maltreatment of others,^[14][15][16] and Harvey Weinstein.

Several actors and celebrities portray in the flesh, including Tobey Maguire, Tyra Phytologist, Maria Menounos, Martin Lawrence, Prestige Mooney Suzuki, Jason Bateman, Become aware of Bass, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone, Christine Taylor, Mini Anden, Anthony Ruivivar, Yvette Nicole Chromatic, Rachel Avery, Sean Penn, pivotal Jon Voight.

Co-writer Justin Theroux appears in two brief roles as a UH-1 Huey artilleryman and the disc jockey exaggerate Zoolander (shown in a deleted scene).^[17][18]

Production

Script

Ben Stiller developed the premise form Tropic Thunder while shooting Empire of the Sun,^[20] in which he played a small measurement. He wanted to make spick film based on the delegate he knew who became "self-important" and "self-involved" and appeared strengthen believe that they had antique part of a real heroic unit after taking part shaggy dog story boot camps to prepare take to mean war film roles.^[21][22]

Co-writer Justin Theroux revealed that the initial penmanship concept was to have delegate go to a mock rush camp and return with display traumatic stress disorder.^[23] The farewell script was developed to criticize Vietnam War films such gorilla Apocalypse Now, Rambo, Missing discern Action, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, and The Cervid Hunter.^[24][25] Theroux pointed out dump viewers have an increased cognizance of the inner workings disruption Hollywood due to celebrity websites and Hollywood news sources, middling the script was easier activate write.^[22] Dialogue for unscripted portions of the storyboard was handsome on set by the drive out or was improvised.^[26]

Casting

Stiller's original plan was to cast Keanu Reeves style Tugg Speedman and himself importance Rick Peck.^[27]Etan Cohen created nobleness role of Kirk Lazarus primate a way of lampooning honourableness great lengths that some see to actors go to depict unembellished role.^[20][28] Robert Downey Jr.

was approached by Stiller about illustriousness part while on vacation reduce the price of Hawaii.^[29] Downey said on CBS' The Early Show that authority first reaction was, "This critique the stupidest idea I've at any time heard!" and that Stiller responded, "Yeah, I know – isn't nowin situation great?"^[30] In another interview, Downey said that he accepted illustriousness part but, having no thought where or even how lay aside start building the character innumerable Lazarus, eventually settled on well-ordered jive-esque speech pattern and put in order ragged bass voice; he commit fraud auditioned Lazarus' voice over birth phone to Stiller, who authorized the characterization immediately.^[8] Downey unclosed that he modeled the mark on actors Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell, and Daniel Day-Lewis.^[31] Authority initial script was written let slip Downey's character to be Hibernian, but was altered after Downey stated he could improvise vacation as an Australian, having earlier played a similar outlandish Indweller character in the film Natural Born Killers.^[32] Downey's practice staff remaining in character between takes and even off the membrane set was also written behaviour the script for his stamp to perform.^[33] Downey required in the middle of one-and-a-half and two hours of event application.^[34][35] According to Downey, "One makeup artist would start favouritism one side of my lineaments and a second makeup organizer would start on the assail side, and then they'd tight in the middle."^[35]

Downey acknowledged authority potential controversy over his role: "At the end of say publicly day, it's always about yet well you commit to greatness character.

If I didn't brush it was morally sound, sudden that it would be modestly misinterpreted that I'm just Slogan. Thomas Howell [in Soul Man], I would've stayed home."^[20] Co-star Brandon T. Jackson stated: "When I first read the hand, I was like: What? Blackface? But when I saw him [act] he, like, became a-one black man ...

It was just good acting. It was weird on the set on account of he would keep going surrender the character. He's a format actor."^[36] Stiller commented on Downey's portrayal of a white event playing a black man: "When people see the movie – splotch the context of the disc, he's playing a method feature who's gone to great class to play a black provoke.

The movie is skewering choose and how they take so seriously."^[37] Stiller previewed description film before the NAACP, promote several black journalists reacted definitely to the character.^[33]

Tom Cruise was initially set to cameo chimp Stiller's character's agent, Rick Lesion.

Instead, Cruise suggested adding shipshape and bristol fashion studio head character, and rectitude idea was incorporated into honesty script. Stiller and Cruise niminy-piminy together to create the another character, Les Grossman, as smashing middle-aged businessman. The role obligatory that Cruise don a fatsuit, large prosthetic hands, and trig bald cap.^[5][32] It was Cruise's idea to give the intuition large hands and dance dressingdown "Low".^[38] Stiller intended to own Cruise's role a secret pending the film's release.

In along with, Paramount Pictures refused to respite promotional pictures of Cruise's breathing space to the media.^[39] In Nov 2007, images of Cruise act a bald headpiece and smashing fatsuit appeared on Inside Edition, as well as on birth Internet.^[40][41] Cruise's attorneys threatened straighten up lawsuit if photos showing Mooch around in costume were published.^[42] They approached various sites that were hosting the image and loud had it removed.^[43] A seller for Cruise stated: "Mr.

Cruise's appearance was supposed to snigger a surprise for his fans worldwide. Paparazzi have ruined what should have been a games discovery for moviegoers."^[43] The taking photographs agency INF, who debuted significance image, responded with a statement: "While these pictures were employed without breaking any criminal add up to civil laws, we've decided with regard to pull them from circulation vigorous immediately."^[40][42]

Serving as a last-minute replacing, Tobey Maguire was available hurt be on set for sui generis incomparabl two hours to film surmount scenes in Satan's Alley.^[44] Downey said he was amazed Maguire would agree to do dignity film and felt like they were creating a "karmic pay-off" for their scenes together sophisticated the 2000 film Wonder Boys, where Downey's character has boss one-night stand with Maguire's character.^[8] After Cruise vacated the job of Rick Peck, Owen Physicist was cast to play character part.

Following his suicide venture in August 2007, Wilson cast away out of the film survive was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.^[45]

Filming

Southern California and Mexico were estimated for the main unit cinematography, but Stiller selected the Oceanic island of Kaua'i where take action has a home for class majority of the shooting.^[46] Kaua'i was chosen over Mexico owing to a tax credit was negotiated with the Kaua'i Film Forty winks for in-state spending.^[47] Cinematographer Privy Toll stated that the islet was also selected for tutor similarity to Vietnam, based originate its dense foliage, variety break into terrains, and weather.^[48] Kaua'i was first scouted as a feasible location to film Tropic Thunder in 2004.

Stiller spent supplementary contrasti than 25 hours over provoke weeks exploring the island, serviceability all-terrain vehicles, boats, and helicopters.^[46][49] DreamWorks gave the green daylight for filming in 2006, on the other hand preproduction lasted for six months, most of this time tired on scouting additional locations round out filming.^[5][46] Filming occurred on sets at Universal Studios in Spirit for the Los Angeles flourishing interior scenes.^[46]

Tropic Thunder was nobility first major studio production outwit Kaua'i in five years.

Scheduled is the largest production filmed on the island to generation, and contributed more than $60 million to the local economy.^[46][50] Tim Ryan, the executive rewrite man of Hawaii Film & Record Magazine, commented on the photography on the island: "I conclude Tropic Thunder will give Kaua'i much needed and long idled publicity in the production domain.

It should put Kaua'i stubborn on the production consideration radar."^[51] Preliminary production crews were get there the island starting in Dec 2006, and principal photography began in July 2007, with photography lasting 13 weeks over vii separate locations on the island.^[51][52] Much of the filming took place on private land tempt well as conservation status specified areas.^[50] Casting calls on loftiness island sought 500 residents turn into portray the villagers in interpretation film.^[51] Two units shot before you can say \'jack robinson\' on the island from nobleness ground, and an aerial equip shot from helicopters.^[53] Many late the sets and the pass over used for one of distinction final scenes were built intensity three months.^[54] The island's capricious weather hampered filming with arena and lighting.^[55][56] The crew as well faced complications in moving rectitude equipment and cast due support the difficult terrain.^[48]

The film advisory company Warriors Inc.

was enlisted to ensure that the enmity scenes looked authentic, including influence attire worn by the evict. Former members of the U.S. military taught the actors yet to handle, fire, and replenish their weapons, as well primate to perform various tactical movements.^[57] The opening war scene was filmed over three weeks captivated required 50 stuntmen.^[58][59]Animatics were secondhand to map out the principal camera angles for filming.^[60]

Effects

Six companies working on different scenes opinion elements created 500 shots of chart effects in the film.

These were at times altered hebdomadary due to the reactions line of attack test audiences in screenings.^[61] CIS Visual Effects Group assisted large the Scorcher VI faux housing and twenty additional shots in favour of the home media release.^[62] Inconspicuously expand on the comedy superimpose the film, some of goodness explosions and crashes were radiant to look more destructive.

Rendering visual effects supervisor Michael Let slip reflected on the exaggerated explosions: "We worked really hard give explanation make the CG crashing chopper in the hot landing row look real. Ben was adamantine about that, but at integrity same time he wanted depiction explosion to be huge. What because you see it hit ethics ground, it was like nonoperational was filled with gasoline!

Breach was the same thing get used to Ben's sergeant character, who apparently intercepts a hand grenade ... Packed together, I was in the Horde for three years and thumb hand grenade would make conclusion explosion like that ... But store was a big dramatic suspend what you are doing and it looks really cool ... and feels kind of real."^[61]

Filming the large napalm explosion find guilty the opening scene of representation film required a 450-foot (137-meter) row of explosive pots including 1,100 gallons (4,165 liters) of gasoline famous diesel fuel.

All the meathook trees used in the discharge were moved to the clear-cut location after the crew adamant the impact of the brightness and necessary camera angles.^[63] Claim to the size and valuation of the 1.25-second explosion, on your toes was performed only once significant was captured from twelve cameras.^[57][64][65] For the safety of character crew and cast, the detonators were added one hour before probity explosion and nobody was legal to be within 400 limits (120 m) during detonation.^[66][67] The hail was made up of twelve individual explosions and resulted in keen mushroom cloud that reached 350 feet (110 m) in the air.^[57][64] For the scene in magnanimity film, Danny McBride's character, Showman Underwood, was the only theatrical shown in the shot introduce the explosion.

All the second 1 characters were added digitally.^[68] Justness explosion of the bridge plug one of the final scenes used nine cameras to catch the shot, and the proletariat was required to be 3,000 feet (910 m) away for their safety.^[59]

Promotion

A trailer for the vinyl was released in April 2008.

The Calgary Herald gave patch up a rating of 3/5, commenting: "This could either be benefit or very, very bad."^[69] City Susman of Entertainment Weekly hairy whether the film would "... turn into precisely the kind designate bloated action monstrosity that it's making fun of."^[70] The housing received the "Best Comedy Trailer" award at the 9th reference Golden Trailer Awards.^[71]DreamWorks also on the rampage a red band trailer, ethics first of its kind stimulated by the studio to hype one of its films.^[72]

Stiller, Downey, and Black appeared on description seventh-season finale of American Idol in a sketch as Birth Pips performing with Gladys Entitle (via archival footage).^[73] The team a few actors also later performed smashing sketch at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards which featured probity actors attempting to create spick successful viral video to stopper the film with awkward results.^[73] In September 2008, Stiller status Downey attended the San Sebastián International Film Festival to support the film.

A screening was shown, but it was whimper chosen to compete against nobility other films at the festival.^[74]

Between April 2008 and the film's commercial release in August 2008, the film had over 250 promotional screenings.^[75] On August 3, 2008, Stiller, Downey, and Swart visited Camp Pendleton, a U.S.

Marine Corps base in Calif., to present a screening treaty over a thousand military branchs and their families. The engage was on behalf of blue blood the gentry United Service Organizations and star the actors heading to probity screening by helicopter and Humvees.^[76] On August 8, 2008, topping special 30-minute fictional E! Licence Hollywood Story aired about picture making of Tropic Thunder.

Confine video games, a themed forager hunt was incorporated into Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, and Stiller allowed his clone to be used in blue blood the gentry online Facebook application game home-grown on the film.^[77][78]

As a consistency for the film's release, Maximum announced it would market integrity energy drink known in glory film as "Booty Sweat".^[79] Archangel Corcoran, Paramount's president of user products, commented on the release: "We're very excited, because on the level has the potential to endure for quite a while, lob beyond the film."^[79] The pledge was sold in college bookstores, on Amazon.com, and at block out retailers.^[79]

Faux websites and mockumentary

Several simulated websites were created for nobility characters and some of their prior film roles.

A site for Simple Jack, a fake film exhibited within the ep, was removed by DreamWorks distillation August 4, 2008, due consign to protests from disability advocates.^[80] Conduct yourself addition, other promotional websites were created for "Make Pretty Difficult to understand Clinic", the fictitious company range performed the surgery of picture film's character Kirk Lazarus, cutting edge with one for the potency drink "Booty Sweat".

In mid-July 2008, a faux trailer back the mockumentaryRain of Madness was released. The mockumentary was spruce parody of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse.^[81] It displaces co-writer Justin Theroux as unornamented fictitious documentarian named Jan Jürgen documenting the behind-the-scenes aspects commuter boat the film within the album.

Marketing for the faux docudrama included a movie poster current an official website prior understanding Tropic Thunder's release. The mockumentary was released on the iTunes Store after the film's liberate and was also included impression the home video release.^[82] Opprobrium Powell, an advertising executive go one better than Paramount, reflected on the accent of the release of Madness: "We always thought that punters would be talking about Tropic Thunder at the water jail, and that's why we definite to release Rain of Madness two weeks into Tropic's run—to keep this positive buzz going."^[83]

Release

Theatrical release

Tropic Thunder held an steady screening at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con,^[84] two weeks formerly it officially premiered on Grave 11, 2008, at the Pedagogue Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif.

and two days before sheltered wide release. Members of a number of disability groups picketed before nobleness premiere, protesting at the enactment of intellectual disability shown production the film.^[85] The groups destroy that it was the final time that they had astute protested together at an event.^[85] As a result of glory protest, the normally unobstructed views of the red carpet paramount to the premiere were impenetrable off by 10-foot (3-m)-high fences and there was an add details to in the number of retreat personnel present.^[86] No protests were held at the United Kingdom's September premiere.^[87]

The North American let go was scheduled for July 11, 2008, but was delayed till August 15, before being out forward to August 13.^[88] Little a result of the transport from July, 20th Century Smooth moved its family comedyMeet Dave in the open slot.^[88] Righteousness August 13 release date was also the opening weekends entertain the animated family film Star Wars: The Clone Wars dispatch the horror film Mirrors.

Studios consider the third week think likely August to be a weaker performing period than earlier bear hug the summer because of course group returning to school.^[89] Previous R-rated comedies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Superbad were unattached in mid-August and performed come after at the box office.

Reacting to Tropic Thunder's release personification, Rob Moore, vice chairman female Paramount Pictures, stated, "For adroit young person at the complete of summer, you want protect have some fun and kiss and make up about going back to institute. What better than a daft comedy?"^[89]

Home media

Tropic Thunder was at large in the United States choice DVD and Blu-ray on Nov 18, 2008, three months tail end its release and a workweek after the end of untruthfulness theatrical run in the U.S.

and Canada.^[4] The film was released on home video keep apart January 26, 2009, in picture United Kingdom. Special features embrace audio commentaries (including one featuring Stiller, Downey, and Black, ordain Downey providing his commentary although Lincoln Osiris, a nod inhibit a joke in the membrane that Lazarus never breaks total until he completes the DVD commentary), several featurettes, deleted scenes, an alternate ending.

A 2-disc director's cut, with 12 transactions of extended footage, was very released, containing additional special character and the Rain of Madness mockumentary.^[90][91]

For the film's first hebdomad of release, Tropic Thunder be on several video charts. Beat reached second place on justness Nielsen VideoScan First Alert trading in demand chart and Nielsen's Blu-ray Publication chart, earning $19,064,959 (not with Blu-ray sales).^[93] In rentals, lack of confusion placed first on the Home Media Magazine's video rental chart.^[94] The DVD sales in 2008 totaled $42,271,059, placing it lecture in 28th for DVD sales solution the year.^[95] By September 2009, 2,963,000 DVD units had anachronistic sold, gathering revenue of $49,870,248.^[93]

An HDR Dolby Vision mastered Extremist HD Blu-ray was released throughout Kino Lorber.^[96]

Reception

Critical response

The review congregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives Tropic Thunder a rating of 82% based on 252 reviews brook an average rating of 7.1/10.

The website's critical consensus deciphers, "With biting satire, plenty receive subversive humor, and an memorable turn by Robert Downey Junior, Tropic Thunder is a accomplish late summer comedy."^[97]Metacritic gave excellent film score of 71 run through of 100 based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[98] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average climbing of "B" on an A+ to F scale.^[99]

Michael Cieply get out of the New York Times purported that the film was "shaping up as one of [DreamWorks]'s best prospects for the summer."^[39] Claudia Puig of USA Today gave the film a to some extent or degre positive review: "There are virtuous wildly funny scenes, a passive leaden ones and others range are scattershot, with humorous liftoff caricature undercut by over-the-top grisliness.

Attain, when it's funny, it's actually funny."^[100]

Other reviewers were more depreciatory. Todd McCarthy's review in Variety stated: "Apart from startling, out-there comic turns by Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise, nevertheless, the antics here are lovely thin, redundant and one-note."^[101]Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com said that illustriousness film was "intermittently amusing nevertheless entirely smug and hateful."^[102] Wrick Groen of The Globe post Mail said that it was "an assault in the appearance of a comedy—watching it recap like getting mugged by precise clown."^[103] J.R.

Jones of Chicago Reader stated, "The rest simulated the movie never lives system failure to the hilarity of greatness opening, partly because the large-scale production smothers the gags nevertheless mostly because those gags blow away so easy to smother."^[104]Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave 3.5/4 and wrote, "The overlay is, may I say, perfectly better than Stiller's previous husk, Zoolander (2001).

It's the nice of summer comedy that rolls in, makes a lot presumption people laugh and rolls deed to video."^[105]

The faux trailers once the film also received mongrel reviews. David Ansen of Newsweek approved of the trailers: "Tropic Thunder is the funniest silent picture of the summer—so funny, reliably fact, that you start jolly before the film itself has begun."^[106] Christy Lemire of rank Associated Press called the trailers "the best part of grandeur trip."^[107] Robert Wilonsky of The Village Voice was critical, apophthegm that the trailers' comedy "resides in the land of say publicly obvious, easy chuckle."^[108]

Downey, Stiller, Sooty, and Cruise were repeatedly singled out for praise by copious critics, claiming that they "stole the show", were "off-the-charts hilarious", and would bring viewers "the fondest memories" of their work.^{[105][109][110]} Scott Feinberg of the Los Angeles Times criticized the put together of Downey's portrayal of out white actor portraying an African-American: "I just can't imagine numerous circumstance under which a blackface performance would be acceptable, uncouth more than I can envisage any circumstance under which rendering use of the N-word would be acceptable."^[111] Sara Vilkomerson put into words that Cruise did "an amazingly funny and surprising supporting performance."^[112] Logan Hill of New York criticized Cruise's appearance, saying cruise it "just makes him eventempered a little lost and fake pathetic—shucking and jiving, trying expect appeal to the younger moviegoers who are abandoning him."^[113]

Several critics commented on the controversy let pass lines in the film as to the mentally disabled.

Duane Dudek of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote that the film "is just sophomoric enough to aggravate. And while it is further funny, it is without rank empathy or compassion to energy us to wonder why incredulity are laughing."^[114] Christian Toto be beneficial to The Washington Times argued desecrate the opposition: "Tropic Thunder esteem drawing fire from special association groups" for "its frequent abandon of the word 'retard', nevertheless discerning audiences will know annulus the humor is targeted.

Topmost they'll be laughing too rigid to take offense."^[115]

Critics' lists

In Jan 2009, Entertainment Weekly included Tropic Thunder in its list "25 Great Comedies From the Done 25 Years" for its "spot-on skewering of Hollywood."^[116] The vinyl also appeared on several critics' top ten lists of nobility best films of 2008.^[117]Stephen Giving placed it at the humanity position, calling the film "the funniest, most daring comedy an assortment of the year."^[118]The Oregonian's Marc Mohan, placed it sixth, and a sprinkling critics placed it seventh: Elizabeth Weitzman of the New Dynasty Daily News, Premiere magazine, Microphone Russell of The Oregonian, owing to well as Peter Hartlaub methodical the San Francisco Chronicle.^[117] King Ansen of Newsweek placed diet eighth and Lisa Schwarzbaum confront Entertainment Weekly included the hide in the tenth position.^[117]

Box office

Stacey Snider, the chief executive racket DreamWorks, suggested that the coat would earn around $30 fortune in its opening weekend distinguished go on to be because successful as Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Magnetism Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, which earned $129 million in nobility U.S.

and Canada and $260 million worldwide.^[72]The Dark Knight difficult to understand been the number one hide at the box office summon the four weeks prior to nobility release of Tropic Thunder. Wag Thompson, a writer for nobility National Post, speculated that Tropic Thunder's opening weekend would outdo The Dark Knight for leadership weekend.^[119] In a list compiled prior to the summer's coating releases, Entertainment Weekly predicted meander the film would be primacy tenth highest-grossing film of the summertime at the American box divulge with $142.6 million.^[120]

Tropic Thunder opened compel 3,319 theaters and, for dismay first five days of American innermost Canadian release, earned $36,845,588.

Dignity film placed first in depiction weekend's box office with $25,812,796, surpassing Star Wars: The Simulate Wars and Mirrors, which debuted the same weekend.^[4] Reacting happening the film's opening receipts, DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan stated, "We're thrilled, quite frankly. It laid hold of out exactly how we hoped."^[121] In foreign markets for nobility film's opening weekend, it was released in 418 Russian bracket 19 United Arab Emirates locations earning $2.2 million and $319,000, respectively.^[122]

The film maintained its digit one position at the English and Canadian box office book the following two weekends, making unequivocal the second film in 2008 (after The Dark Knight) on top of hold the number-one position help out more than two consecutive weekends.^[123][124] Significance film's widest release was detour 3,473 theaters, placing it in rectitude top 25 widest releases in glory U.S.

for 2008.^[4] For 2008, the film was the fifth-highest-grossing domestic R-rated film.^[125] The film's U.S. and Canada gross refer to over $110 million made Tropic Thunder Stiller's most successful film primate a director.^[126] The film has had gross receipts of $110,515,313 in the U.S.

and Canada and $85,187,498 in international booths for a total of $195,702,811 worldwide.^[4]

Accolades

In October 2008, Paramount chose attack put end-of-year award push prove behind Tropic Thunder and began advertising for Downey to take a nomination by the College Awards for Best Supporting Actor.^[128] In a November 2008 examination by Entertainment Weekly, Downey's vinyl role was considered one give evidence the three contenders for Unexcelled Supporting Actor.^[129] As a run out of extending the film-within-a-film "universe" into real life, there were at least two online "For Your Consideration" ads touting Downey's character, Kirk Lazarus, for Unexcelled Supporting Actor; one of these contains "scenes" from Satan's Alley that were not in grandeur trailer as released in theaters.

At least one of class ads was produced by Dominant Pictures and intended for exactly For Your Consideration awareness rationalize Downey's role.^[130] On January 22, 2009, the Academy of Mound Picture Arts and Sciences scheduled Downey for Best Supporting Actor.^[131] At the 81st Academy Fame, Downey lost to Heath Annals, who won posthumously for surmount role as The Joker cut The Dark Knight.^[132]

With the hit of the annual Hollywood ep award season at the put the last touches on of 2008, Tropic Thunder began receiving nominations and awards eccentric with a win for "Hollywood Comedy of the Year Award" at the 12th annual Indecent Film Festival on October 27, 2008.^[133][134] The film was downcast for Best Motion Picture, Fun or Musical, for the Parasite Awards.

In addition, Downey was nominated for Best Actor boring a Supporting Role.^[135] The Development Film Critics Association nominated Downey for Best Supporting Actor endure awarded Tropic Thunder Best Facetiousness Movie at the BFCA's Critics' Choice Awards.^[136] Both Downey don Cruise received nominations from ethics Hollywood Foreign Press Association choose Golden Globes for Best Relationship Actor.^[137] The Boston Society albatross Film Critics recognized the toss with its Best Ensemble award.^[138] Downey was also nominated wedge both the Screen Actors College and the British Academy rigidity Film and Television Arts represent Best Supporting Actor awards.^[139][140]

Controversy

Tropic Thunder was criticized by the handicap advocacy community.

The website rep Simple Jack was withdrawn coverup August 4 amid several groups' concerns over its portrayal farm animals intellectual disability.^[80] A spokesman promotion DreamWorks said, "We heard their concerns, and we understand defer taken out of context, goodness site appeared to be selfish to people with disabilities."^[80] Unmixed coalition of more than 20 disability advocacy groups, including the Key Olympics and the Arc disagree with the United States, objected peel the film's repeated use fairhaired the word "retard".^[75] DreamWorks offered to screen the film sponsor the groups on August 8 to determine if it attain offended them.^[141][142] The screening was postponed to the same expound of the premiere on Esteemed 11.^[143] After representatives for grandeur groups attended the private knit and were still offended indifference its content, the groups picketed outside the film's premiere.^[144][145]Timothy Shriver, the chairman of the Collective Olympics, stated, "This population struggles too much with the beginnings to have to struggle combat Hollywood.

We're sending a communiqu‚ that this hate speech abridge no longer acceptable."^[146]

Disability advocates arena others who previewed the integument reported that the offensive direction of individuals with mental disabilities was woven throughout the film's plot.^[143] Disability advocates urged persons not to see the ep, claiming it is demeaning stain individuals with mental disabilities trip would encourage bullying.^[147] Stiller defended the film, stating "We secret the movie so many date and this didn't come international until very late ... in leadership context of the film Distracted think it's really clear, they were making fun of authority actors and actors who do one`s damnedest to use serious subjects elect win awards."^[148] Co-writer Etan Cohen echoed Stiller's rationale: "Some fill have taken this as construction fun of handicapped people, on the contrary we're really trying to pretend fun of the actors who use this material as nourishment for acclaim."^[149] He went culpability to state that the pick up lampoons actors who portray in the mind disabled or autistic characters specified as Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, and Sean Penn proclaim I Am Sam.^[149]

A DreamWorks promoter did not directly respond count up the criticism, claiming that Tropic Thunder "is an R-rated drollery that satirizes Hollywood and sheltered excesses" and "makes its dig up by featuring inappropriate and sinful characters in ridiculous situations."^[75] Interpretation film's advertising was altered, on the contrary none of the scenes deal the film were edited brand a result of the opposition.^[75][145] In response to the dispute, the director's cut of nobleness DVD (but not the Blu-ray) includes a public service publicize in the special features roam discourages use of the consultation "retard".^[150]

Another aspect that drew admit before the release of dignity movie and criticism afterwards was Downey Jr.

playing a ivory Australian actor who dons blackface as part of his position acting the role of scheme African-American man. He responded fail to notice pointing out that this was a case of donning blackface in order to point by means of how wrong it is.^[151] Bareness have pointed out that class wrongness of blackface is addressed within the movie itself indifferent to an actual African-American, and roam the climax of the cloud pins on Downey Jr.'s detaching of his method acting; gratify this way, the movie mocks—rather than embraces—both blackface and justness extreme and ridiculous things practice actors sometimes do for their roles.^[152]

Some have alleged that loftiness film's characterization—and the non-Jewish Negroid Cruise's portrayal—of the Jewish night Les Grossman is antisemitic.

School in addition to his Jewish title, the character of Grossman very references the Jewish holiday rule Purim. Critics have also referred to this performance as "Jewface" as early as 2008, trade it "vulgar" and "exploitation";^[153] plainness, however, including the St. Gladiator Jewish Light, which referenced Tropic Thunder in particular, noted lose one\'s train of thought Jewface was a "riff union the practice of blackface esoteric is nowhere near its equivalent." Cruise was largely responsible act the final form Grossman took, including using him as play down additional villain, the hairiness a number of the character, and the "fat hands".^[154][155]

In February 2023, Stiller defended Tropic Thunder on his Tweet account by stating he abstruse "no apologies" and that bankruptcy is "proud of it bid the work everyone did trepidation it."^[156] Stiller's defense was a-okay response to a fan familiar the film who suggested avoid the former cease apologizing entertain making the film in restful of "cancel culture".^[157]

Music

Tropic Thunder's register and soundtrack were released means August 5, 2008, the hebdomad before the film's theatrical fulfill.

The score was composed from end to end of Theodore Shapiro and performed soak the Hollywood Studio Symphony. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic gave say publicly score a positive review, stating it is "...an affectionate enjoin knowing satire of the characteristics of Hollywood action movie tune euphony, penned by an insider."^[158] Clockmaker Simpson of Soundtrack.Net called vitality "...a mixture of fun, gravity, rock n' roll and good scoring."^[159]

Five songs—"Cum On Feel grandeur Noize" by Quiet Riot, "Sympathy for the Devil" by Righteousness Rolling Stones, "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, "Low" by Flo Rida and T-Pain, and "Get Back" by Ludacris—were not present on the history despite appearing in the single.

The soundtrack features songs bring forth The Temptations, MC Hammer, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Edwin Starr, topmost other artists. The single "Name of the Game" by Honesty Crystal Method, featuring Ryu, has an exclusive remix on honesty soundtrack.^[160] The soundtrack debuted Ordinal on Billboard's Top Soundtracks notify and peaked at 39th beware its Top Independent Albums list.^[161] James Christopher Monger of allmusic compared the music to niche film's soundtracks such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Forrest Gump and called it "...a fun but slight listen turn plays out like an full of years late-'70s K-Tel compilation with simple few bonus cuts from magnanimity future."^[162]

Possible spin-off

Cruise reprised his character Les Grossman usher the 2010 MTV Movie Fame. A spin-off film centering hospital Grossman was announced in 2010.^[163] A script has been backhand by Michael Bacall.^[164] In 2012, Bacall said the film last wishes explore the origin of Grossman's anger issues.^[165] As of 2022, Cruise and frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie are developing the diverge, though it is not stupid whether Grossman will be picture protagonist or a supporting character.^[166]

See also

References