The summer of 2008 broke history, and rebuilt it.
America suffered through a bitter presidential election on the road to a globewrecking financial crisis.
In theaters, cinematic generations were rising and falling.
Next week: Summer ends and a new era dawns withThe House Bunny.
This week: critic at large Leah Greenblatt and TV critic Darren Franich onTropic Thunder.
DARREN:We’ve revisited a lot of movies this summer, Leah.
But I have to admit, nothing made me more anxious than the prospect of rewatchingTropic Thunder.
Stiller was an influential cult-comedy voice in the ’90s before he became a full-blown franchise-launching megastar across the 2000s.
Tropic Thunderwas a phenomenon upon initial release.
It was the movie that finally pushedThe Dark Knightoff the top of the box office, maintaining a No.
1 position in domestic theaters through Labor Day.
Downey’s role-within-a-role might be the big talking point here.
The opening scene openly quotesPlatoonandApocalypse Now, two films which symbolize an earlier era of auteurist overreach.
There are some isolated bits inTropic ThunderI really enjoy.
I forgot just how fully committed and semi-psychopathic Jack Black was in the part of a druggy tabloid star.
On some deeply pathological level, I will always think it’s hilarious when Tom Cruise says bad words.
What was your experience watchingTropic Thunderthis go-round, Leah?
The student has become the blaster.
But there is real Academy wisdom in that speech too and his delivery is perfect.
Which could be the point!
Likethe same summer’sStep Brothers, the overriding vibe here is dudely self-destruction.
Stiller wrote the screenplay with Etan Cohen and (hello!)
Justin Theroux, and it almost feels like they aligned their core characters with the Seven Deadly Sins.
Stiller’s Tugg Speedman envies Lazarus.
Lazarus is a white actor prideful enough to think he can play a black man.
Black’s Jeff Portnoy is a glutton, like a chocoholic, but for heroin.
Brandon Soo Hoo’s teen guerilla Tran is all wrath.
And, um, is that seven yet?
Back then, it felt like thepointof movie comedy was to push past every possible barrier of good taste.
It’s a kick to see how farTropic Thunderwants to push itself, no doubt.
Along with the “full retard” speech (god help me, I laughed again!
I guess it’s a tricky question of our age, Leah.
It looksfunto be a powerful asshat!
Huzzah for failing upwards!
Cruise as Grossman is a delight.
Can we reunite these two characters in a spinoff?
Written by, like, Tina Fey?
LEAH:Darren, this is in my top-three McConaughey performances for sure; my Mconaugh-three.
(And 10 great minutes is about exactly whatSistershad.)
She’s just pure, venal joy with no real redemption arc at all, and I loved that.
I’m tapping out.
My final takeaway is: Brandon T. Jackson is underrated.
Cruise and McConaughey definitely need to get weird more often.
