TROPIC THUNDER (2008) - Ben Stiller

These days, it seems like there are two types of comedy film. Films produced or directed by Judd Apatow, and films staring Will Ferrel. So it’s nice to see that Ben Stiller’s new film, the comedy Tropic Thunder has little to no link to either of these guys. Things are getting a little bit repetitive, so comedy needs something else. Parody is a staple of comedy. And war films are ripe for parody. Yet few films tackle this. Stiller does, and manages to create something genuinely funny.

Tugg Speedman is a Hollywood superstar. However, his career is on a bit of a decline, especially after the spectacular failure of his attempt at serious acting, the film Simple Jack. Attempting to reignite his career, Speedman takes the lead in ‘the most expensive war movie ever made,’ Tropic Thunder. He is joined by obnoxious fart comedian, Jeff Portnoy and five time Oscar winner, Kirk Lazarus. However, once filming begins, it immediately spirals out of control as the actors’ egos clash and director, Damien Cockburn loses control of the production. In a final attempt to get the best out of his actors, Cockburn drops his cast into the middle of the jungle. However, things get worse when it becomes clear that the cast are unknowingly in the proximity of a heavily armed drugs gang.



In Tropic Thunder, co-writer and director Stiller has created quite an attack on the film industry. Actors, agents, directors, everyone comes under fire. He launched a similar attack on the model industry in 2001 with Zoolander. But the film isn’t cynical or cutting. Instead, it’s more like a cartoon version of the industry, albeit with gore and gratuitous bad language. The film received a bit of flack over the Kirk Lazarus character who has skin pigment alteration in order to play the platoon sergeant, Lincoln Osiris. But it’s a parody. It’s not serious. It pokes fun at itself and the type of actor who immerses him or herself a little too much into their role. So these complaints are ridiculous. And besides, it’s a comedy. And a damn funny one at that.

Stiller, who co-wrote the film with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen creates one of the most memorable comedy characters in Kirk Lazarus. Robert Downey Jnr.’s performance is spot on. His character is so lost in the role that he cant snap out of it when it’s clear things have gone absolutely pear shaped. It’s Downey Jnr., and a stunningly hilarious cameo by Tom Cruise of all people that are the outstanding things about Tropic Thunder. The dialogue is hilarious, and the parodies are subtle but handled brilliantly. Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now, and a great many other films are lampooned but in a way that makes sense in the context of the film. It’s not like everything stops to go ‘hey, look! We’re poking fun at... (insert pop-culture reference here)’ It’s something that talentless hacks like Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg have no idea how to do.



The performances from everyone are very good. Steve Coogan is his usual brilliant self, but his role is unfortunately quite small. Playing the man who wrote the book the film Tropic Thunder (the film in the film) is based on is crazy Nick Nolte. Nolte is madness personified, and adds a great edge to proceedings. The trio of movie stars are also great parodies in themselves. Stiller doesn’t lose any points in playing Tugg Speedman. He’s not preoccupied with directing and is very funny in the role. And Jack Black had the drug-addled Jeff Portnoy nailed. But like I’ve said before, it’s Robert Downey Jnr. and Tom Cruise who steal the show. It’s just a shame we don’t get to see more comedy from Tom Cruise. His reputation as someone a little bit eccentric just adds to the role. Hell, the film even makes Matthew McConaughey look like a great actor.

Tropic Thunder does lose a little steam in the middle of the film. But the opening is relentlessly funny and the laugh count does drop, but things are still very amusing. Sure, Tropic Thunder won’t win awards. But it’s a brilliant parody and a very funny comedy. And it almost makes me forgive Stiller for the dreadful Night At The Museum.


8/10

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008) - David Gordon Green

Stoner movies are something of a rarity nowadays. They’re don’t exactly fit in with what the studios want to release. Drugs are bad, mmkay? Obviously, due to the very nature of marijuana, stoner movies are inevitabely comedies. But sometimes it helps to cross-pollinate a comedy with another genre and that’s exactly what’s at hand in Pineapple Express, a new film from the Judd Apatow factory. It follows some of formula what we’ve expect from these films, but is geared more towards older audiences.

Dale Denton is a process server. It’s a job that makes him few friends, but allows him to pursue his passion in life- smoking weed. It’s a firm advocate of the drug and spends his days getting stoned and delivering summons to unsuspecting people... and getting called asshole, dickhead and all manner of other names in the process. He gets his weed from Saul, a well-meaning and genuinely nice pot dealer. Albeit one who’s brain is somewhat mush due to his consumption of copious amounts of weed. While delivering a summons, Denton witness a murder. He in turn is spotted by the murderers. He takes off back to Saul’s but the joint he threw out his car window leads the murderers to Saul. So Denton and Saul take off with gangsters and a crooked cop baying for their blood.



Pineapple Express is a strange film. What’s immediately strange about it is that it’s directed by indie darling David Gordon Green. Green has directed some pretty heavy dramas such as George Washington and All The Real Girls. But Pineapple Express is a total departure for the director. It’s laughs and bullets, something Green fans will not be expecting from the director. But the script is written by star Seth Rogen, so by that, the film isn’t lost.

The other strange thing about the film is one of it’s weaknesses. At times, I didn’t feel like the filmmakers were sure what exactly type of film they were making. When it’s funny, it hits the mark quite well. However, when the action kicks is, and the bullets fly, things begin to fall apart. There are moments when the two parts gel, but these moments are few. The best thing about the film is James Franco’s turn as Saul Silver. There have been many screen stoners, but Franco’s manages to be hilarious and still be the heart of the film. He’s a lovable character, not just because of his idiotic ideas and comments, but also because he’s just a lonely guy looking for a friend. Seth Rogen has carved a niche as the loser with good intentions in these movies, so he’s not out of his depth.



There are other familiar faces on show. Gary Cole and Rosie Perez play the villains, weed dealer Ted Jones, and the crooked cop, Carol. Cole has played villains to a certain extent before. Most famously in Office Space where he played Bill Lumbergh. So he’s got the bad guy thing down. And Perez just seems to be caustic no matter what she plays. Other familiar faces such as Danny R. McBride, Bill Hader and Ed Begley Jnr. fill out the cast. But it’s Rogen and Franco who are the stars, and they make a great team. Though having started out together in Freaks And Geeks, that’s not unusual to see.

Pineapple Express works on some levels and falls flat on others. It’s a funny film, don’t get me wrong. But the best moments are reserved for when Franco’s on screen and you do miss Saul Silver when he’s not around. It’s a film that isn’t quite sure of itself. But at the same time, it’s got great moments. It’s one of those films destined to be a cult movie. And it’ll no doubt be another success for the Apatow factory.


7/10

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008) - Nicholas Stoller

Less than a month after the truly awful Drillbit Taylor, the Judd Apatow camp has released another comedy. This time, the film follows the formula of the other major hits, such as The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. But, remarkably, Seth Rogen doesn’t make one appearance in this film! Not even a cameo. This time, the protagonist is played by Jason Segel, Rogen’s mate Jason from Knocked Up. Segel follows in Rogen’s footsteps in that he also wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall himself, and it’s directed by Nicholas Stoller.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall continues the formula of the lovable loser who does good, that worked so well for previous Apatow directed and produced hits. This time, the loser in question is Peter Bretter. He’s a music composer for hit television show, Crime Scene, which also stars his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall. Sarah arrives on Peter’s doorstep one afternoon to break up with Peter, something that leaves him devastated. In order to forget his troubles, Peter takes a holiday in Hawaii, something he and Sarah always planned to do. But to his despair, Peter discovers Sarah is staying in the same hotel with her new boyfriend, pop star, Aldous Snow.



I’ll admit, when I saw the trailer for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, my immediate reaction was, PASS. After the piece of muck that was Drillbit Taylor, and considering the film looked like the same routine that was done in these films before, I was just not into going through the motions yet again. But after seeing Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I’m pleased to admit that my initial reactions were wrong. Sure, the whole loveable loser schtick is repeated here, but the resulting film goes to prove that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it! And the schtick works again. The acid test for a comedy, no matter how formulaic it is, or how many times it’s been done, is whether or not it is funny. Laughs are paramount, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall has plenty.

Jason Segel who plays Peter steps up from being a support player to being the lead, and succeeds without any real problems. He’s completely sympathetic as the centre for all the action to take place around. And while he’s not the funniest character in the film, he does provide a solid base for all the laughs to sit on top of. The titular character, Sarah Marshall, is played by Kristen Bell. I only know Bell from the god-awful television show, Heroes, and she somewhat reprises the ‘bitch’ role for this film. But rather than paint her into being a stereotype, Segel makes her a more sympathetic character, so she isn’t just a figure the audience can hate. Bell carries this off without any problem. Her new boyfriend, musician and lothario, Aldous Snow is played by British comedian, Russell Brand. I’m no fan of Brand’s stand-up, and I was unsure if he’d be able to pull off the role, but he’s actually very good in the role. Like Marshall, he’s not a hate-figure in the film and instead is quite a likable character. Brand seems very comfortable in the role (given what’s been reported about his partying lifestyle, this comes as no surprise) and delivers some of the film’s funnier lines with great comic timing.



The rest of the cast is filled with some familiar Apatow faces. Stalwart, Paul Rudd pops up as Chuck, the stoner surf instructor. Superbad star Jonah Hill has a great small role as a waiter who is somewhat obsessed with Aldous Snow. And Mila Kunis plays the new object of Peter’s affections, Rachel Jansen. All are very comfortable in their roles and fit into the story without seeming tacked-on.

While it’s true that Forgetting Sarah Marshall falls into the Apatow-mould like the other films, it finds it holds it’s own in the series. It’s very funny and very likable. And while it’s not groundbreaking, it doesn’t need to be. It’s just very entertaining.


8/10

SUPERBAD (2007) - Greg Mottola

2007 seems to be Year of the Rogen. Having already scored a huge hit with Knocked Up, actor Seth Rogen turns his hand to writing for his second smash hit of the year, Superbad. Superbad is similar to Knocked Up in that it’s a comedy that aims squarely for the gross out humour market, however, where as Knocked Up was about thirty-somethings, Superbad is made specifically for the teen audience. It takes up the mantle where the American Pie franchise left off, and continues the tradition with gusto.

Two slacker friends, Seth and Evan have come to a crossroads in their lives. They are approaching the end of their school years and must face the prospect of leaving each other to go to separate colleges. It’s a situation neither of them have really come to terms with yet, but as with all young males, they hide their fears behind a mask of bravado. However, they have more immediate problems. Neither of them wants to go to college as virgins. But all is not lost. Their mutual friend, uber-nerd, Fogell, has acquired a fake ID. This ID, and the alcohol it can help them obtain, is the key to gaining access to a party. A party where there are girls. To the boys, alcohol and girls result in the high possibility of getting laid. And so the boys embark on their odyssey to obtain $100 worth of booze and hit the party, for sexy results!



Okay, there’s one thing that is essential when approaching this film. There is absolutely no point in going into it with any ounce of pretention. And if you’re easily offended, stay away. Superbad aims low, and hits the mark pretty much every time. Where as Knocked Up had it’s morals, as well as it’s gross out humour, Superbad is mostly just gross out humour. And profanities. Endless profanities! That’s not to say that the film doesn’t have any redeeming qualities (in terms of morals). It does make the point that alcohol isn’t necessarily the ideal way to win a girl’s heart... or pants. But this isn’t a message movie. It’s a comedy, and in this respect, it’s very successful.

There’s no denying that the three lead characters of Evan, Seth and Fogell (played by Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse respectively) are instantly likable. Each is quite different but all of them are very believable. Which isn’t surprising since Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg based the characters and situations on themselves. Casting is essential and there’s no complaints there. Cera is essentially reprising his role of George Michael Bluth from TV’s Arrested Development. He’s incredibly comfortable in the role (ironically, of the overly-nervous teen) and suits the character fine. Jonah Hill is great as Seth. It would be easy to see the actor as a John Belushi for the 21st Century. And newcomer Mintz-Plasse is brilliant as Fogell. He spends most of the film sharing the screen with writer Rogen and Bill Hader as two cops as irresponsible and immature as the teenagers.



I’ve read some reviews of this film that were very stuffy and mean-spirited. They accused Superbad of being incredibly misogynistic. But those reviewers can pull their heads out of their asses. While the boys are obsessed with getting laid, and spend the entirety of the movie trying to achieve this goal, I think that pretty much is exactly what most teenage boys are aiming to do. But there’s no point in getting bogged down in the politics of a movie like this. It’s a comedy, and at the end of the day, it’s about laughs. And there are plenty. Is it better than Knocked Up? I don’t know. The jury’s still out on that one. But at the end of the day, it’s hilarious, and definitely one to check out.


8/10