Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" is satire at its finest
Abigail Dredge
Issue date: 9/1/08 Section: Entertainment
Racial tensions arise with Robert Downey Junior's character, who is just a "dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude". Dressed in a contemporary form of "black face", Downey Jr. shines as a comedian in spite of his token "funny-men" counterparts, Black and Stiller. Both their characters provide a mockery of celebrities who lose themselves in fully in their character.
Stiller's humor is both dark and witty. While the overt violence within the fictitious film is clearly fake, it is essentially the exact same as intended "real" violence one sees in any serious drama. It was confusing and almost difficult to laugh at, as was the explicit drug addiction and withdrawal Jeff Portnoy (Black) goes through while stranded in the jungle. In light of his recent film, "Kung Fu Panda," one may be surprised to hear the obscenities included in Black's dialogue. Perhaps even more offensive were the demeaning phrases and violent outbursts provided by Tom Cruise's character. In spite of the crudeness to his script, Cruise has proved once again his diverse and incredibly vast abilities as a seasoned actor.
As much as one can understand that the film is a satire, Stiller steps onto thin ice when his character mocks an autistic child in one of Tugg Speedman's flopped films, "Simple Jack." Activist groups around the country did speak out against this particular mockery and protested the film in various locations.
However, anyone with an understanding or firm grasp on sarcasm and satirical intentions would understand that the humor is not in the autism, but in the fact that Hollywood has no place in displaying the topic in any form of entertainment; hence Speedman's failure to prevail.
The film could be funny for the ruthlessly insensitive, but was designed more for the carefully analytical jokesters among us.
Depending on which approach one takes, "Tropic Thunder" could be either clever and hilarious or confusing and unpleasant. Stiller has officially handed the lens over to the audience.
Abigail Dredge is a fourth-year student at West Chester University majoring in English. She can be reached at AD615398@wcupa.edu.
Stiller's humor is both dark and witty. While the overt violence within the fictitious film is clearly fake, it is essentially the exact same as intended "real" violence one sees in any serious drama. It was confusing and almost difficult to laugh at, as was the explicit drug addiction and withdrawal Jeff Portnoy (Black) goes through while stranded in the jungle. In light of his recent film, "Kung Fu Panda," one may be surprised to hear the obscenities included in Black's dialogue. Perhaps even more offensive were the demeaning phrases and violent outbursts provided by Tom Cruise's character. In spite of the crudeness to his script, Cruise has proved once again his diverse and incredibly vast abilities as a seasoned actor.
As much as one can understand that the film is a satire, Stiller steps onto thin ice when his character mocks an autistic child in one of Tugg Speedman's flopped films, "Simple Jack." Activist groups around the country did speak out against this particular mockery and protested the film in various locations.
However, anyone with an understanding or firm grasp on sarcasm and satirical intentions would understand that the humor is not in the autism, but in the fact that Hollywood has no place in displaying the topic in any form of entertainment; hence Speedman's failure to prevail.
The film could be funny for the ruthlessly insensitive, but was designed more for the carefully analytical jokesters among us.
Depending on which approach one takes, "Tropic Thunder" could be either clever and hilarious or confusing and unpleasant. Stiller has officially handed the lens over to the audience.
Abigail Dredge is a fourth-year student at West Chester University majoring in English. She can be reached at AD615398@wcupa.edu.
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